Following the dismal apple campaign of 2022/23, this year's season has kicked off quite well for the Slovak fruit industry, reports Peter Turlík, executive at the local cooperative Bonum. "Since the start of the season in August, producer prices have been significantly better, as has the quality of the fruit, in terms of firmness, color, and sizing. Unfortunately, spring frost was a major issue again this year: Some farms even had to accept a loss of up to 50 percent in volume. Anyone involved in the apple sector knows that prices, especially for producers, are still too low, largely due to pricing policies in Poland and Hungary."
Protected strawberry cultivation
Although apples are by far the main product of the cooperative based in Western Slovakia, Bonum's members also produce other fruit crops, such as pears and berries. Turlík: "Our main varieties in pear cultivation are Lucas, Celina or Q-tee, and Williams, although we produce relatively few pears in quantity. However, this year pear cultivation has been extremely lucrative and we have been able to supply distilleries with raw materials for spirit production at attractive prices. I also see further potential for expansion in Slovak pear production. Moreover, berry cultivation is interesting for us: However, the shortage of labor is becoming an increasingly larger problem. Furthermore, many producers, especially those of strawberries and blueberries, opt for cultivation in foil tunnels with the aim of entering the market earlier and protecting the crops from rain and similar elements. Otherwise, we observe that many strawberry producers rely on pick-your-own fields."
Peter Turlík (here at ICOP 2022 in Styrian Weiz) as an executive, focuses on the trade and export of fruit produced in Slovakia. The Ovocinarske druzstvo Bonum has 14 member companies and is thus the largest producer organization (PO) in Slovakia in the fruit sector.
Slovak fruit industry in motion
In the last decade, the Slovak domestic market has increasingly come to the forefront, continues Turlík. "We are pleased that, for example, we no longer have to export our cherries exclusively to Italy, Belgium, or Germany, but can also achieve good prices for the product in Slovakia or the Czech Republic. With apples, the 'homegrown' club varieties such as Kiku (Fuji), Evelina, Fuji, and since 2020 also Smeralda are becoming increasingly popular. Despite the growing competition within the club apple category, the cultivation area for Evelina is still being expanded to meet the increasing demand for local produce in the future. With the good balance between costs and the relatively high producer prices, we also create a bit of existential security for our producers with the cultivation of club apples. However, it is becoming increasingly difficult with standard varieties such as Golden or Gala."
Pome fruit production continues to play a significant role in Slovakia. Left: Esmeralda club apples, Right: Celina pears (QTee) on the tree.
Many older orchards are now gradually being adapted to today's standards. Turlík: "The question, however, is what varieties we need to plant. After all, we don't have a crystal ball and don't know which varieties will be in demand in the future. In the end, not every producer is capable of producing club apples. Since 2022, there have been new, partially funded projects to bring Slovak fruit farms up to date. These projects consider not only production but also storage, packaging, and sorting. On one hand, these projects enable the modernization of the local fruit industry, but on the other hand, they encounter resistance from producers due to bureaucracy. These projects are to be successfully completed by June 2025. In practice, however, it is difficult to find reliable suppliers for these demanding projects within such a short period."
Club apples from Slovakia. Kiku (Fuji), Esmeralda, and Evelina.
According to Turlík, the Slovak fruit sector is facing several major challenges. "Our producers are not only fighting against low-cost imports from neighboring countries but especially against the aforementioned labor shortage. As long as our people can still get higher hourly wages in Western European cultivation countries, this knot will not be untied. As a producer organization, we also face the task of optimizing our service in the coming years, mastering bureaucracy as best as we can, and making thoughtful investments. Our main goal is to relieve the passionate producers so that they can focus on the essentials, namely their plants."
For more information:
Peter Turlík
Ovocinárske družstvo Bonum
Tel. /fax: +421 2 4020 81 - 0 7/ -20
turlik@dobryjezko.sk
www.apples.sk