Apple farmers in the Prince Edward Island (PEI) are hoping for a good harvest after starting early this fall amid dry conditions. 

After an early spring followed by a prolonged heat wave in July through August, the crop bloomed earlier than normal. 

With u-pick harvests already underway starting the first week of September 2025, orchard operators are predicting a decent output.

One of those hopeful is Holland Cove-based Jeff Macqueen whose Macqueen Orchards is ready for its apple and pumpkin reaping later in fall.

Macqueen told 13 ABC that his region escaped with scattered showers a fortnight ago, good enough for the resilient apple plants.

In Western P.E.I., similar positive sentiments pervade, especially at Arlington Orchands near Miscouche, whose producers expect a bumper crop.

According to Barry Balsom who co-runs the orchard, the crop will be “phenominally high-quality” because dry weather accelerated blooming.

The only downside is that the apples could suffer low juice content this season, meaning juicers will need more for cider.

Good Weather, Less Disease, Early Harvest

Because of a June-August summer dry spell, orchards in the eastern Canada province espoused low pest or fungal cases.

At 120-190 mm, 2025’s rain was 50 to 70% lower than at other years when it averaged 230-270 mm.

For Balsom farm, scanty rain, persistent heat and an early spring all conspired to speed up fruition. The farm’s harvest began on Labor Day (first Monday of September), with prices dependant on market conditions as the harvest unfolds.

There is hope for production however, with Balsom expecting between 800 and 900 bins, each weighing 340 kg. How this will auger with overall province-wide output will depend on similar trends in foregoing years, per the below P.E.I. apple statistics.

PEI Apple Statistics 

The Prince Edward Island accounts for 3.7% of Canada’s total fruit area, a part of which under apples, as of 2023. According to the P.E.I.’s department of agriculture, apple production fluctuated much in the three years ending 2024. 2021’s output hit some unofficial 584 tonnes (t) while 2022’s and 2024’s 360 t and 941 t, respectively. 

Apple acreage in the 2017-24 period reached a high of 400 acres in 2018 and a low of 296 acres in 2024. The farm-gate sales value of the P.E.I. apple crop fluctuated heavily under this period. While the 2021 value hit an unofficial C$618,000 ($446,381), 2022 brought C$481,000 ($347,426), and 2024 C$1,024,000 ($739,635). The department warns that the data is non-conclusive and so should be taken at face value.

Is P.E.I a big fruit source, nationally? 

The Prince Edward Island produces about 1.2% of Canada’s total fruit output, as of  2022, according to the government of Canada. In the 2020-24 period, it historically picked between 9,518 tonnes (2020) minimum and 13,591 tonnes (2022) maximum.

Are apples consumed much in Canada ? 

Apples are an important crop in Canada in terms of consumption at 11.7% of all fruit consumption (2023). This makes them the fourth most popular fruit after bananas (20.6%), melons (13.4%) and oranges (11.5%) in consumption share.