Large drop in European apple production as Interpoma 2018 approaches

31 August 2017

Europe’s harvest in the 2017/2018 apple-growing season will be smaller than in recent years: EU estimates put production at 9.343 million tonnes, down 21% on the 2016 harvest. These figures were announced on 10 August in Lleida (Spain), at Prognosfruit, the annual conference held by WAPA (the World Apple and Pear Association) to present apple and pear production forecasts.
The commercial season ending just prior to the next Interpoma, the world’s only event organized exclusively for the apple sector, scheduled for 15 to 17 November 2018 at Fiera Bolzano, will be different from previous seasons.

In more detail, Germany has experienced the largest drop in production, down by almost a half at 555,000 tonnes (-46%). There has also been a sharp decrease in production in Poland which, following the last few years’ growth, is back to 2012 levels at 2,870,000 tonnes (-29%), while Italy is reporting a 23% reduction, with a predicted harvest of 1,757,000 tonnes. The drop in production in France is less marked; a harvest of 1,396,000 tonnes is expected (down 8%). Belgium’s production is forecast to drop by more than two thirds to 74,000 tonnes, while the Netherlands is expected to see production fall from 317,000 tonnes to 234,000 tonnes. Bucking the trend are Hungary, which is increasing production to 628,000 tonnes (+26%) and Portugal with an increase from 263,000 tonnes to 314,000 tonnes. Apple production in Spain should remain more or less stable at 474,000 tonnes compared to 495,000 tonnes in the previous season.

Production is also forecast to decrease elsewhere in the Northern Hemisphere, falling by 37% in Russia, 30% in Mexico, 21% in Switzerland, 19% in Belarus, 10% in Ukraine and 6% in Canada. Production in the United States should remain stable at 4.8 million tonnes, while Chinese production continues to grow, up by 3%.

There will therefore be much to talk about at the next Interpoma, which takes place at Fiera Bolzano (Italy) from 15 to 17 November 2018. The ‘Apple in the World’ international congress – a key event for taking stock of the apple sector as a whole – will be held as part of Interpoma.

The second edition of Interpoma China, the meeting point for the apple industry in Asia, will run from 27 to 29 June 2018 at the Weihai International Exhibition & Conference Center on the Shandong Peninsula.

Press materials: Elena Vincenzi, Cristina Pucher

Read more:

Macfrut Academy, a new video lesson

17 September 2024
The Macfrut Academy, the training platform sponsored by Macfrut, is back after the summer break. A new video lesson on new developments in the production of strawberries, with a special focus on how to enhance and maintain their quality, will be released on Thursday 19 September at 5 pm Italian time (UTC+2). The video lesson begins by looking at the latest developments in variety research, and then analyses market demands and the strategies that researchers and growers can put in place to meet them. »

Expand Your Business at Egypt's Trade Fair! Pacprocess MEA

17 September 2024
pacprocess MEA, the International Exhibition for Processing & Packaging in the Middle East and Africa, is a comprehensive and highly-targeted exhibition that addresses the requirements of the food, beverage, confectionery, bakery, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, non-food, and industrial goods sectors in the Middle East and Africa region. The trade fair brings together local and international industry stakeholders from across the entire value chain to showcase cutting-edge technologies and forge lucrative partnerships. »

FPC Delivers Landmark Win: Import Checks Eased, Fees Waived, and Products Reclassified in Major Boost for UK Food & Drink Industry

16 September 2024
Key changes secured by the FPC include: • Postponement of Import Checks & Fees: Import checks and associated fees on medium-risk fruit and vegetables from the EU have been delayed from January 2025 to 1st July 2025. • Reclassification of Products: Several commodity groups, including apples and pears, have been reclassified from medium to low risk, facilitating their free movement from the EU, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein »
PARTNERS