Germany expects good apple harvest

This year the apple harvest in various German states is looking quite good. Growers from Sachsen and Sachsen-Anhalt are counting on a good harvest due to the good weather conditions this year, said a spokesman from 'Landesverband Sächsisches Obst' (National Association of Saxon Fruit). "A lot of apples are hanging from the trees now even though there was some frost during the spring," says the spokesman. "The alternating periods of sun and rain have helped during the growing period."

Thüringen
In the state of Thüringen, where the harvest has already begun, they estimate the yield to reach 32.8 tons per hectare this year. If this happens the yield per hectare would be 38% higher than last year's low yield (23.8 tons per hectare), and 17% higher than the 2008 to 2013 six year average (28.2 tons per hectare). According to the Thüringen Bureau of Statistics apple acreage has decreased by 86 hectares (7% decrease) and reached 1,066 hectares. Despite this decrease in acreage the total harvest yield this year will reach 35,000 tons, according to the first calculations. This would be 28% higher than last year's yield (27,000 tons).

Alte Land
In Alte land, the famous fruit growing region on the Niederelde, people are counting on the second best apple harvest in ten years. They are expecting especially large apples, and it is estimated that around 334,000 tons of apples are hanging from their trees, said the Landbouwschap Niedersachsen (Agricultural Board of Niederelde) last Friday. If these estimates are correct that would mean a crop increase of 80% since last year's poor season. Comparing 2014's numbers with the average harvest this would still be an 11% increase. On the Niederelbe river apples are grown on 8,842 hectares of land.