Michigan's apple total exceeds the size of the national tart cherry crop, which was about 349 million pounds in 1998. Apples are also Michigan's largest crop on an acreage basis. A 1997 census of fruit production in Michigan counted more apple trees than all other species of fruit trees combined. There were 8.85 million apple trees in Michigan's commercial orchards. Tart cherry trees totaled 3.73 million, peaches 860,000, sweet cherries 843,000, plums 147,000 and pears 102,000.
Apples are the most heavily planted tree fruit in recent years.
Michigan growers in 1996 and 1997 planted more than 1 million new apple trees. Tart cherry growers added 130,000 new trees during that period and peach growers 113,000. The 1997 fruit census indicated more farms producing apples than any other fruit. Apples have the highest value of production of Michigan fruits. It adds even more through the inputs that apple growers purchase locally to grow their crops.