mi-press-releases News Release NR-13-08 January 28, 2013 U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service Michigan Field Office Michigan Department of Agriculture Post Office Box 30239 Lansing, MI 48909-6248 Phone: (517) 324-5300 Facsimile: (517) 324-5299 E-mail: nass-mi@nass.usda.gov Web site: www.nass.usda.gov Jay V. Johnson, Director Fruit Production 2012 Michigan fruit crops were devastated by an unusually warm March followed by a series of frosts in April. This caused abnormally low fruit production, according to Jay Johnson, Director, USDA, NASS, Michigan Field Office. Michigan apple production was 115 million pounds, down from 980 million pounds in 2011. The preliminary farm level value of production was $40.5 million. Michigan tart cherry production was 11.6 million pounds, compared with 157.5 million pounds in 2011. The average yield was 425 pounds per acre. The preliminary farm level value was $12.9 million. Sweet cherry production was 4,250 tons, down from 18,600 tons produced in 2011. The average yield was 0.65 tons per acre. The preliminary farm level value was $6.1 million. Cultivated blueberry production in Michigan was 87 million pounds, approximately 18 percent of the U.S. total. Michigan growers harvested 19,700 acres in 2012. The farm level value was $122.7 million. Strawberry production in Michigan was 3.3 million pounds on 650 harvested acres. The farm level value was $4.8 million. Michigan grape production was 38,200 tons. The farm level value was $17.9 million. There were 21,000 tons of Concords and 10,800 tons of Niagara grapes processed. Michigan peach production was 4.0 million pounds, down from 33.3 million pounds in 2011. Bearing acres were 3,600, and the farm level value was $2.6 million. Pear production in Michigan was 40 tons on 700 acres. The farm level value was $25,000. Michigan plum production was 65 tons on 500 acres. The farm level value was $38,000. Fruit production: Michigan and U.S., 2011-2012 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Michigan : United States :----------------------------------------------------------------------- Fruit : Bearing acres :Total production : Bearing acres :Total production :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : 2011 : 2012 : 2011 : 2012 : 2011 : 2012 : 2011 : 2012 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- Acres ---- Million Pounds ----- Acres ---- Million Pounds : Apples : 34,000 34,200 980.0 115.0 330,600 327,800 9,425.0 9,061.1 Tart cherries : 26,700 27,300 157.5 11.6 36,000 36,500 231.7 85.1 Peaches : 3,700 3,600 33.3 4.0 112,480 112,880 2,086.0 1,930.8 Blueberries 1/ : 19,200 19,700 72.0 87.0 72,500 77,700 443.2 473.4 Strawberries 1/: 700 650 3.1 3.3 57,420 56,140 2,904.0 3,014.9 : : ---- Acres ---- Thousand tons ----- Acres ---- Thousand tons : Sweet cherries : 6,500 6,500 18.6 4.3 85,820 86,790 334.4 424.0 Grapes : 14,500 14,700 94.4 38.2 960,100 962,100 7,447.7 7,343.4 Pears : 700 700 4.4 54,400 54,400 965.7 858.2 Plums 2/ : 500 500 1.6 0.1 2,810 2,780 13.3 13.2 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Harvested acres. 2/ Excludes California plums and prunes.