Agronometrics in Charts: About one in four fresh US apples are shipped abroad

Each week, the series ‘Agronometrics In Charts’ examines a different horticultural commodity, focusing on a specific origin or topic and visualizing the trade market factors driving change. Check out our entire archive.

According to the US Department of Agriculture, since the mid-2000s, the US has exported between 20 percent and 30 percent of its fresh utilized apple production every year.

In 2025/26, fresh apple exports came to 1.87 billion pounds, about a quarter of the 7.3 billion pounds produced. Volume rose only one percent, but export value jumped 12 percent to a record $1.16 billion because buyers paid about 10 percent more per pound.

Image by Shutterstock

Organic apples also set a record at 397 million pounds, roughly a fifth of all exports.

North American partners absorb US apple exports 

Mexico (39 percent of volume, up 14 percent) and Canada (18 percent, up 15 percent) led the growth. Shipments to India fell 38 percent and to Vietnam 21 percent. Varietal preferences vary by market: Taiwan mostly takes Fuji, Vietnam leans toward Cosmic Crisp, Gala, and Envy, and India buys mainly Red Delicious. 

“Exports are critical to the economic health of the US apple industry,” said USApple’s Chris Gerlach. But the strong export value came in a tough season at home, with flat domestic demand and low farm-gate prices squeezing grower margins.

“The growth we saw in Mexico and Canada this year is encouraging, but it also underscores just how important stable trading relationships with those countries are to US growers. At the same time, there is tremendous opportunity to regain market share and open new high-value markets around the world,” he added

Looking ahead, the USDA forecasts total 2026 US apple crop at 10.4 billion pounds, down six percent and the smallest since 2022, with spring freeze damage cutting output sharply in Pennsylvania and Virginia.

*Graph courtesy of Agronometrics. All other images are referential via Shutterstock.

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