Brännland Cider is going to establish a large apple orchard in northern Sweden. It will be 10 hectares in size. This brewery is doing this in partnership with several parties. Not only with local farmers, the Swedish Farmers Association, and the Norrbotten region's provincial management. Experts and local and overseas interested parties are involved too.
This Swedish project has been running since 2017. It was established to bring interested parties within the agricultural sector together. Meanwhile, Brännland Cider has acquired a good position in the domestic and foreign markets with its ice ciders. The company is located in Västerbotten. This is the second northernmost province in Sweden.
Brännland Cider's objective was to establish apple cultivation in the far north of that country. This ambitious farming project has now become a reality. In December 2019, the Swedish Agricultural Council approved financing. This money is for productive commercial apple growing in a northern climate – innovation for new climate-resilient agriculture in the north of Europe.
Andreas Sundgren Graniti, Brännland Cider's founder, says, "We want to create a new, unique terroir in northern Sweden. That is a crucial step in our project. At the same time, this also offers new possibilities for our growers. They can diversify, which is good, not only the cultivation. It is good for tourism and sustainability too. This project also aligns well with the EU's new Green Deal."
The project will run from 2020 to 2023. It will combine traditional apple farming methods and conventional, modern ones. Many different apple varieties will be used. This is to provide farmers in the north with good chances. They can diversify and optimize land usage. They can also reduce the use of transportation and water in the region. That will create a new, climate-friendly, sustainable fruit branch. One of this project's long term goals is to create good conditions for cooperation between growers and breeders. That should ensure that products can be further developed.
"We will expand the project using the experience and knowledge we have already gained at Brännland Cider. That is thanks to our cultivation companies in Burträsk and Röbäcksdalen. These areas are both in the Umeå region," says Andreas. "We have proven it is possible to do large-scale cultivation at this latitude. That allows us to brew ice cider of extraordinary quality. Now we want to see the entire northern region of Sweden flourish in this way. This is a huge step in that goal's direction."
Daniel Pacurar of Boreal Orchards will lead the partnership group. This group is one that has established for this project. Pacurar has apple-growing expertise and academic skills. He has already used these to contribute to Brännland Cider's trial cultivation.
"As a Brännland Cider partner, we are honored to contribute to this groundbreaking project. It will see apples being farmed in northern Sweden. It will be exciting. We are going to learn new ways of getting apple trees to grow. And to develop ice cider. At the same time, we must gain knowledge about apple cultivation in the north," says Pacurar.
"This know-how must help future generations. We are learning as we go. I am convinced the partnership group will contribute to the project's progress. Brännland Cider produces one of the best ice ciders in the world. Together, we are now laying the foundation to expand on this achievement," he concludes.
Source: mynewsdesk.com/se
