Apples lead way to record state crop values in 2007

YAKIMA -- Apple sales helped to push the value for Washington crops in 2007 to record levels.

The overall value of agricultural production last year increased 23 percent to a record $8.51 billion.

Apples once again topped the list at $1.75 billion, compared with the previous high of $1.41 billion in 2006. Yakima County has long been the No. 1 producer of apples in the nation.

Prospects for the current 2008 apple harvest look encouraging. According to the Aug. 1 estimate by the Yakima Valley Growers-Shippers Association and the Wenatchee Valley Traffic Association, the 2008 crop is projected at more than 99 million boxes for fresh sale. The estimate is about 1 million boxes higher than the 2007 crop.

Milk production for the first time topped $1 billion, compared with $688 million a year earlier.

Rounding out the top five most-valuable crops and products were wheat, potatoes, and cattle and calves.