"There was a bit of frost in some areas but it was localised. The storm mostly affected the cider apples, as growers harvest the table apples earlier and they were mostly all harvested. The cider apples were shaken from the trees by the wind instead of falling naturally or being shaken off by machine, but would not have been damaged any more than normally. The biggest problem is a bottle-neck at the processors, the apples would normally have been removed from trees over a four week period, but they were all blown off in one day," explains Con Traas from The Apple Farm.
Con grows 100% table apples on 14 hectares in Tipperary where he produces between 500-600 tonnes of apples. He supplies the retail and wholesale markets as well as selling a variety of apple related products from the farm and online.
The apple market has been quite buoyant this season due to the shortages in other European markets. The main eating varieties are Jonagored, Red Prince and Red Elstar clones, and Bramley’s Seedling is the main cooker. The Irish climate is too cold for Pink Lady apples but there have been some trials of Jazz and other licensed varieties, though unfortunately they are not that well adapted for the Irish climate.
For more information:
Con Traas
The Apple Farm
Tel: +353 52 7441459
Email: con@theapplefarm.com
www.theapplefarm.com