At VerKen Bio Deli-Vers, they have just started sorting organic Natyra apples. This variety, which normally only enters the market towards the end of the season due to its good storage, is now being offered much earlier. "Normally, we don't want to market it at the same time as the Jonagold, but these are already selling well and, moreover, there were considerably fewer tonnages. So there was room on the market now," says Gerard Kenens of the organic cultivation company from Loksbergen, Flanders.
The Natyra variety is part of the farm's shift towards scab-resistant varieties. "The Jonagold has been struggling for years, so we decided to look at other varieties," Gerard explains. "The Natyra is an apple variety that may require a bit more labor and yield less but sells for a higher price. It is also the only variety that makes it to the end of the season without losing flavor. It's not easy to grow, but it has a delicious flavor and therefore keeps well in storage. So we normally market this one after the Jonagold, but this season we, and also fellow growers, decided to market the two at the same time because there is less supply."
Regarding the harvest, Gerard is satisfied. "They are a bit rougher than other years, but overall everything looks good. With Natyra, you sometimes have that there can still be some black spots on them, especially with a lot of rainfall, but we don't really have any problems with that. In terms of volumes, we have slightly less than last year. Last year was a top year, when we picked 90 to 100 tons. This year we ended up with 80 tons, which for such young plantings are still nice volumes to work with. It's just an apple that requires a bit more work and knowledge. We learn in that every year. And if we succeed, you have an apple that tastes great and keeps well until the end of the season. That's why we have to go all out to have the good quality and production every year."
High expectations from GoodnessMe
Besides the Natyra, the organic growing company is also planting the new GoodnessMe apple this winter. This new variety was presented at the last Interpoma and is licensed to Wouters Fruit, who indicated high expectations during the presentation. "We are going to plant one and a half hectares of it. We were already going to do this in December, but now we have to wait until the weather gets a bit better. This way, we are quietly replacing the Jonagold with scab-resistant varieties. In the GoodnessMe, we are very confident. It has extremely positive characteristics. Perhaps too positive, so we might still encounter challenges in cultivation, but that is the case with any variety. Fortunately, there is a good team at Wouters Fruit behind it, who are already guiding us well at the Qtee as well, so we are confident that this too will be successful. It is another step in the quest for disease protection with the current weather extremes. Similarly, we have the PiqaBoo, from which we expect to realize the first harvest next year."
Export bio-Conference to start
However, one variety that still holds strong at VerKen Bio Deli-Vers is the organic Conference pear. "We still have confidence in that, and it is running pretty well this season. Demand is not booming, but certainly not bad either. Moreover, prices are at an excellent level. So far, sales have mainly been for the domestic market, but exports are just starting to take off now. Everyone has had their own productions for a long time, but that is quietly starting to loosen up. Think of Italy, Spain, Germany. That demand often comes only after New Year."
About the fruit, Gerard doesn't have to complain either. "The quality with us was very good. We had virtually no scab. The pears were just a bit rougher, but it wasn't too bad. Also in terms of kilos. If you see that there were colleagues in organic, but also conventional, who had very low tonnages, we can't complain. It was all very local. Here in the Loksbergen region, everyone was well spared, but if you go more towards Sint-Truiden, it was very bad in terms of molting and tonnages because of the hail."
"We therefore do not expect any problems in storage in the coming period either. It has been a wet year though, so you never know what will come next. We will have to keep a close eye on that, but I expect it will be fine. I'm guessing we can continue for another month or two, but that's a guess. It's really coffee-gazing," Gerard concludes.
For more information:
Gerard Kenens
VerKen Bio Deli-Vers
Zilveren-Helmenstraat 74
3545 Loksbergen, Belgium
Tel: +32 474199809