Orchard and field crops dominate Washington's agricultural economy, which yielded $5.2 billion in farm marketings in 2001, 12th among the 50 states. Fruits and vegetables are raised in the humid and irrigated areas of the state while wheat and other grains grow in the drier central and eastern regions.
Washington is the nation's leading producer of apples. The estimated 2002 crop, representing 54% of the US total, totaled 5.1 million tons. Among leading varieties, delicious apples ranked 1st, followed by golden delicious and winesap. The state also ranked 1st in production of hops, red raspberries, pears, and cherries; and 2nd in grapes and apricots. Other preliminary crop figures for 2002 included wheat, 129.7 million bushels, valued at $537.0 million; potatoes, 560,000 hundredweight, $533 million; barley, 18.4 million bushels, $47.7 million; and corn for grain, 13.3 million bushels, $38.5 million. Sugar beets, peaches, and various seed crops are also grown in Washington.