Small but definitely good - this is the description of this year's apples from Friuli Venezia Giulia which, once harvesting is over, will almost reach the 40,000 tons of the previous campaign. "Yields are 10% more than expected and quality is superb," explains Peter Larcher (in the photo below), chairman of the Mela Julia association. "Temperature change favoured colouring and pushed the sugar level. We are extremely positive about the next campaign."
There are around a thousand apple growers in the region after a drastic drop in cultivated areas from 2006 to 2011 (around a thousand hectares remain of the 1,500 that there used to be, with 700 companies that are still active), who have now started harvesting Granny Smith as Golden are over. Then it will be the turn of Fuji and late varieties such as Imperatore and "club".
"Fruits, except for the Gala variety, are smaller than last year but the quality is excellent from and organoleptic and phitosanitary point of view."
"The merit goes to the investments a lot of companies made on varieties, irrigation plants and anti-hail nets. The selection between companies meant that those who remained on the market have a better quality and are more concerned about sustainability."
Golden is still the queen of apples in front of Gala and Fuji but, in the future, investments will be made for this two cultivars as well as Granny. "Fuji from Friuli Venezia Giulia are delicious and combine the characteristics that are difficult to find together in Alto Adige and Emilia-Romagna, in fact they are both tasty and colourful."
Mela Julia gathers the producers of five traditional varieties (Gala, Golden, Granny, Delizia Rossa and Imperatore) and a local one - Zeuka. It will be possible to make a definitive assessment of the harvesting only at the beginning of December, as it started a couple of weeks late.
Contacts:
Associazione Mela del Friuli Venezia Giulia
Via Morsano, 91
Mortegliano - Udine (Italy)
Tel.: +39 0432 767615
Fax: +39 0432 767912
Email: info@melajulia.it