One in four US fresh apples is sold abroad, and exports hit a record $1.16bn

About one in every four fresh-market apples grown in the United States has been exported since the mid-2000s, according to a Chart of Note from the US Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service (ERS). The share sold abroad has ranged from 20 to 30% of utilized fresh production each year, a sign of steady foreign demand.

In the 2025/26 marketing year, which ended in July 2026, US fresh apple exports totalled 1.87 billion pounds, roughly 26% of the 7.3 billion pounds of fresh utilized production. Their value reached a record $1.16 billion.

Mexico and Canada were the leading destinations, taking 39% and 18% of export volume. Taiwan, Vietnam, the Dominican Republic and India followed, and each market has its own taste in varieties. Shipment data from the Washington State Department of Agriculture show that apples sent to Taiwan were mostly Fuji, those to Vietnam mostly Cosmic Crisp, Gala and Envy, and India's mainly Red Delicious.

On the world market the United States is the third-largest apple exporter, behind the European Union and China. The chart draws on the ERS Fruit and Tree Nuts Outlook for September 2026.

For South Asia, the figures show that India is now one of the named destinations for American apples, with a clear preference for Red Delicious, a variety its own hill orchards also grow.

Source: ers_usda