Thanks to sun and lack of disease, French apples are expected to have a good 2015 harvest. According to Agrimer’s statistics, volume has increased by 8% compared to 2014, 2% above the 5 year average. Total volume is expected to be over 1.6 million tons.
The international association of apple producers, Prognosfruit, announced that France was seeing a 10% increase in apple production, but many remain sceptical of this figure as direct competitors such as Italy are seeing a decrease.
In Aquitaine and the Midi-Pyrénées, the main production region, harvest was 2 weeks early (in the Vallée du Rhone and Provence too, where early varieties such as the Gala are already done harvesting). Orchards in the Centre, the Loire and Limousin will go into harvest over the next few days.
The most encouraging statistic is that the decrease in acreage has ceased, planted acreage has even increased by 2% in 2015.
Half of the apples produced in France are exported and the sector is optimistic on many factors this year: the USA has a 5% decrease in harvest and the euro-dollar exchange rate is favourable to Europeans. President of the ANPP, Daniel Sauvaitre, says that “This year, Germany could import a bit more due to a decrease in harvest. But we should aim at the emerging countries”.
With Russia under embargo, the countries that remain are in Eastern Europe, India, the Middle East and Africa. “The Algerian market is increasing by 10%” says Vincent Guérin, Head of Economic Affairs at the ANPP.
French apple growers, who were the world leaders, are now 6th place, overtaken by Poland (3.75 million tons) and Italy (2.45 million tons).
France’s leader in the sector (who work with 300 producers) has sold 245,000 tons of apples, 20% more than their initial target.