The shifting weather conditions in 2025 have made the cultivation of good-quality apples a real challenge, says Justyna Wojciechowska of Polish apple exporter Elita Grupa: "The spring frosts significantly affected the apple orchards in our region. This was followed by a summer drought that limited fruit growth, and finally autumn rainfall, which came too late to properly hydrate the fruit. All of this resulted in fruit quality being one of the main challenges this season. The apple harvest season in Poland usually starts at the turn of July and August, and this year was no different. The difficult weather conditions meant that some apple varieties lost their export quality and were therefore sold on the domestic market. We haven't observed any significant price increases or decreases. Therefore, we can say that prices have remained stable throughout the season."
© Elita Grupa Producentów Owoców sp. z o.o.
With the harsh weather conditions in mind, quality control became a very important factor of Elita Grupa's operation, Wojciechowska explains. "The situation required us to be particularly vigilant when receiving fruit into our facilities. Apples are our flagship product, and we could not allow this year's weather conditions to compromise our standards. We intensified inspections among the growers belonging to our group, which enabled us to purchase fruit that met the required standards. Careful quality selection allows us to sell our products without claims or complaints."
In an unusual twist, the Red Delicious varieties have been more popular than the Gala apples this season, Wojciechowska states. "The varieties we currently have in stock are mainly Prince, Jonagored, and Idared. We're opening our ULO storage chambers successively, depending on customer orders. The biggest surprise this season has been the Red Delicious variety. Demand for all its strains has surpassed Gala, which is usually the most sought-after variety, both on the Polish market and abroad. We mostly export to the countries in the Middle East and the Balkans."
On the current conflict in the Middle East, Wojciechowska continues: "We don't hide the fact that the current situation in the Middle East is a concern for us. We're watching developments with some uncertainty. This region is one of our key export destinations. Our main apple customer around the region is Egypt, which for the moment remains open to trade. In fact, just yesterday we shipped a full truck to one of our Egyptian clients. We're also producers of blueberries, which we export to the countries of the Persian Gulf, so we hope the situation will stabilize soon and allow us to continue pursuing our sales goals without disruption."
© Elita Grupa Producentów Owoców sp. z o.o.
"Our expectations are clear: to sell our produce at the best possible prices. However, the market has shown more than once that it is unpredictable. Since we cannot foresee the future, we plan to conclude the 2025/2026 apple season at the standard time, in June. We ensure year-round product availability, which means the next season will begin in July. If weather conditions allow, we'll be able to achieve these goals without unnecessary stress," Wojciechowska concludes.
For more information:
Justyna Wojciechowska
Elita Grupa Producentów Owoców sp. z o.o.
Tel: +48 795 415 030
[email protected]
www.elitaowoce.pl
