By Caroline Côté
Released : April 20, 2026
Large production increase in Québec in 2024
In 2024, in Québec as a whole, the apple harvest totalled 138.8 kilotonnes (kt), up 40.6% (+40.1 kt) from the previous year. This was the largest increase since the high of 140 kt recorded in 2007. It should be noted that weather conditions were exceptional in the spring of 2024 in the most productive regions.
At the regional level, all regions posted increases. Montérégie-Est and Centre-du-Québec is the region that contributed the most to the provincial increase, with a 53.7% rise (+21.1 kt) from 2023. The region with the second-largest contribution to this increase was Estrie, which was up 172.0% (+12.9 kt) from the previous year.
Sales up in 2024
Nearly 97.6% of the apples produced were put on the market, totalling 135.4 kt of apples worth $90.2 million. The large quantity of apples sold led to a new high in sales, with a 16.9% (+$13.0 million) increase in sales value from 2023.
The processing market stands out while the fresh market reaches a new high
Regarding the value of sales in millions of dollars for the two main markets—the fresh and the processing market—it respectively grew by 17.2% (+$10.5 million) and 15.6% (+$2.5 million).
This increase is also reflected in the quantity of apples in kilotonnes sold on these two markets in 2024. The quantity of apples sold for the processing sector grew significantly, rising 59.5% (+20.6 kt) from the previous year. Given the exceptional harvest, a larger share of apples was directed to the processing market, as the fresh market was unable to absorb it entirely.
After a drop in 2023, the fresh market reached a historic high of 80 kt (+15.8 kt; +24.7%) in 2024.
Growth in the number of apples trees
The data for 2024 show that the number of apple trees rose to about 3.7 million (+4.0%) in Québec. This was the third consecutive increase since 2021. The area planted to apple trees remained stable at about 4,760 hectares.
Methodological information and data source
Due to changes to the survey questionnaire, caution must be exercised when comparing the results shown in the tables on production, marketing, sales value, and the average selling price of apples with those from before 2023.
