The best weather conditions for flowering and a warm, dry summer, which lasted until October, has given the fruit growers a bumper crop. The apple glut now leads to limited storage options. Only the most beautiful apples will arrive in the shop.
Last year there were too few apples, this year too much. So much that in Thurgau, tons of dessert apples will be processed. However, the price of fruit for cider is three to four times lower than that of dessert fruit, which can be disappointing.
Cider fruits are available every year
Ralph Gilg, president of the Thurgau Fruit Association, says that the situation is "unpleasant" for certain fruit growers. At his farm, he had to bring 40 tons of dessert apples to the cider mill, which is about one-fifth of the harvest, he estimates. "But with these apples, it was obvious from the beginning that their quality would not be enough." It's quite normal to lose part of apple yield to the cider plants, says Gilg.
Only top quality
Benno Neff, Managing Director of Tobi Seeobst AG, confirms that the sales potential for dessert apples is limited. "Therefore, only the best qualities and varieties in demand on the market will be stored." Lesser apples will have to be processed, as was the case in the more abundant harvest years. It is not that the storage rooms are already full. The common plans ensure that there is still room for the later varieties.
The cider plants are happy
At the cider plants, the bumper harvest is very welcome. After having to resort to concentrate reserves last year, it is now possible to replenish the stock. Georges Möhl, Operations Manager at Möhl Cider Plant in Arbon, states that the quality of the fruit is very good. "The apples are very clean because of the dry circumstances and they have a high sugar content."
Source:Bauernzeitung