Shortly before the start of the apple season in the Rhineland, Philip Wißkirchen spoke with us about both the previous and the upcoming fruit growing season in the Rhineland. "In 2021, we have received the precipitation that we have greatly missed for the last three years," said Wißkirchen, who is the chairman of the Bonn/Rhein-Sieg district specialist group. He is also on the board of the regional specialist group for fruit growing of the Provinzialverband Rheinischer Obst- und Gemüsebauern e.V. (Provincial Association of Rhenish Fruit and Vegetable Growers). According to Wißkirchen, the season is delayed by 10 to 14 days due to the cold spring.
Satisfactory fruit sizes, minor hail damage
"Fruit sizes are okay due to the water. However, there is a delay in flowering and ripening. The yield is satisfactory overall." There were isolated light hail showers in the Rhineland, but these were local and did not cover the entire area.
Main harvest in mid-September
The main harvest, starting with Elstar, is not expected until the second week of September. "Due to fewer hours of sunshine than in previous years, the Galas will not ripen until about a week after the Elstars this year," Wißkirchen says. "For good coloring, the apples need cool nights and sunny days." Overall, however, there will be satisfactory yields in the Rhineland. Wißkirchen was not able to tell us much about prices.
High demand for pome fruit during lockdown
Not all farms fared consistently poorly during the lockdowns. Wißkirchen: "The lockdown has significantly increased demand for apples and pears from the region across the board. This is a very pleasing development. We produce to very high standards. We strive to achieve the highest possible levels of environmental and species protection, while at the same time offering a fresh, regional and, above all, healthy food product for our customers in the Rhineland. Social standards are at least as important to us. We employ a number of seasonal workers who have been happy to come back to us every year for several decades. I would be pleased if more and more end consumers recognized our extra effort through higher standards and thus also saw added value in our regional product."
Different marketing strategies
Together with other fruit growers, Wißkirchen organized an apple distribution campaign in downtown Bonn. This was intended to demonstrate the advantages of regional products to end consumers. Wißkirchen: "Direct and indirect marketing farms, as well as conventional and organic farms, were equally involved together. We didn't just hand out apples, but wanted to show local people the importance of regional production."
Direct marketing is also extremely location-dependent, according to Wißkirchen. "In localities with many fruit growers, it is very difficult to market a larger area exclusively directly, but direct marketing often gives the end consumer a good insight into production, variety and the versatility of our profession." Especially as competitive pressure from overseas is not far behind. "I see a raison d'être in overseas produce to the extent that it can be bought when regional produce is scarce. As it were, as a transitional commodity from mid-June to mid-August. I understand that retailers buy overseas produce well in advance and thus find it very difficult to make the perfect transition to regional produce, but I still think it's a shame when I can only find one or two, or sometimes no, regional apple varieties in the supermarket in mid-September. Through Landgard, the farm from Meckenheim-Ersdorf mainly sells to food retailers.
For more information:
Obsthof Wißkirchen
K&P Wißkirchen GbR
Philip Wißkirchen
Rheinbacher Str. 36
53340 Meckenheim-Ersdorf
Telefon +49 1516 7510944
E-Mail [email protected]
Web: https://obsthof-wisskirchen.de/
