Overview

Spanish explorers are credited with introducing the apricot to the New World, with the earliest plantings reported in Virginia. But the temperate eastern climate was not suitable for apricot production, which did not flourish until seeds were planted at Spanish missions in California. Today, over 92 percent of the apricots grown in the United States come from California, where the first major crop of apricots was recorded in 1792. The remaining 8 percent of total U.S. apricot production comes from Washington.  April 2009 ... Apricots


Other Links

• Apricot, Postharvest Technology Research and Information Center, University of California.
• The Apricot: An Early Summer Fruit, Economic Research Service (ERS), USDA, 2004.
• Apricot King Orchards, Hollister, California - This orchard has been a family-run orchard business since 1947. The operation farms 130 acres of apricots, walnuts, prunes and cherries. Their specialty is Blenheim apricots from which they produce dried cots, jams and syrups.
• Apricots, Food Availability (Per Capita) Data System, ERS, USDA.
  
• Dried Fruit Association (DFA) - This nonprofit organization is the only organization representing the dried fruit and tree nut industry from grower to consumer. The site has files relating to quality standards and important issues, including the use of methyl bromide and phosphine; worker-safety issues; and food and plan biosecurity. The association offers various food safety and quality testing services to members.
• Fruits and Tree Nuts, ERS, USDA.
• Fruit and Tree Nuts Situation and Outlook Yearbook, ERS, USDA, 2008.
  
• Inland Fruit Company, Wapato, Washington - An example of a major apricot shipper-producer. This company is one of Washington's premier suppliers of apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, apricots, cherries, prunes and plums. The company has evolved into one of the largest privately owned fruit packing and shipping organizations in the state. It employs approximately 500 workers who assist in the production of over 5 million cartons of packed fruit per year.
• Noncitrus Fruits and Nuts 2007 Summary, National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), USDA, 2008.
• PlantFacts, Ohio State University - This Web site provides a full-text search engine of all extension and academic department information from all land-grant universities in the United States. Additionally, there are significant image and video databases, a FAQ database and a glossary.
• Stone Fruit: World Markets and Trade, Foreign Ag Service (FAS), USDA, 2008.
• United States Standards for Grades of Dehydrated Apricots, 1974.

Links checked October 2009.