This year, no major weather hazard has been reported in the various European production basins. Although drought is still present in Catalonia and Roussillon, the spring rains should guarantee sufficient volumes of water for irrigation during the summer. After 3 years (2020, 2021, and 2022) of production shortfalls (2023 had returned to slightly higher levels), the 2024 European harvest should reach full potential, with 2.7 million tons of peaches, nectarines and flat peaches (3.4 million including pavia peaches), compared with 2.6 million tons in 2023.
The 2024 harvest forecast is 2.7 million tons of peaches, nectarines and flat peaches, which is 5% more than in 2023 and 10% more than the 2018/2022 average. For pavia peaches, with a European forecast of 715,000 tons, 2024 is 1% above 2023 and 4% below the 2018/2022 average.
France: slightly higher volumes than in 2023
Last year, the drought was on everyone's minds. The spring rains then helped irrigate the orchards. In the end, production was close to optimum potential. In terms of marketing, "the weather at the start of the season had been complicated for consumption, but the market then rebalanced," explains Bruno Darnaud. "Thanks to promotional actions from distributors throughout the season, and despite the retail price war and the increase in first-price sales, consumption was maintained."
This year, there were no major weather hazards to report, unlike the apricot crop that experienced fruit set problems. Despite the continuing drought in Roussillon, the spring rains should enable the orchards to be sufficiently irrigated. French peach-nectarine production will therefore slightly exceed last year's volumes, reaching around 230,000 tons, which is 5% more than in 2023 and 22% higher than the 2018/2022 average.
This year will not be as early as expected, as the season is expected to start around June 10th.
Italy: normal production potential
Last year, the Italian production was hit by frost, especially in the north of the country (with a production deficit in Emilia-Romagna, also affected by the mid-May floods). "Production was well below the country's production capacity, with less than 800,000 tons produced," explains Elisa Macchi.
This year, as in other European production basins, Italy has not suffered any major climatic damage, and the country's production should reach normal potential. There have been a few "very localized hailstorms in recent weeks, but the orchards are protected by nets, so damage should be avoided."
With a little more than 900,000 tons of peaches and nectarines, Italian production in 2024 should be 11% higher than in 2023, and stable compared to the 2018/2022 average.
Overall, peach and nectarine surface areas at the national level continue to decline (-4% compared to 2023 and -7% compared to 2022). The decline is more pronounced for peaches (particularly in the north) and more limited for nectarines, but much less marked than in other years, where we had double-digit declines," according to the director of CSO Italy.
Spain: production almost identical to 2023
After a very poor 2022 campaign due to frost in Aragon and Catalonia, 2023 saw a return to production levels close to potential. Drought was a cause for concern, but the rains in May and June 2023 enabled proper irrigation. "From the 3rd week of May to June 15th, we had abundant rainfall, making for a normal campaign, with production very close to our potential," explains Javier Basols.
In 2024, no major climatic accidents have been reported, except for some very limited frost episodes in April in the north of the country, "without significant damage to the production."
With just under 1.2 million tons of peaches, nectarines and flat peaches, Spain's 2024 production should be 1% lower than in 2023 and 14% higher than the 2018/2022 average. For pavia peaches, the production will be just over 300,000 tons, which is 6% more than in 2023 and stable compared with the 2018/2022 average.
Greece: nectarine production on the rise
After a very poor 2021 campaign, Greek production returned to its potential in 2022 and 2023. This year, "no major incidents have been reported," according to Georges Kantzios, who notes the "absence of frost, the mild winter and warm spring weather." The harvest will be almost 10 days early. According to the latest estimates, peach and nectarine production will be higher than in 2023, with a much greater increase for nectarines than for peaches, and the volumes should be well above the 2018-2022 average. The pavia peach production is expected to be similar to 2023, with a slight 2% drop.
With nearly 370,000 tons of peaches and nectarines, Greek production in 2024 should be 8% above the 2023 production and 23% above the 2018/2022 average. For pavia peaches, the 2024 production should be 345,000 tons, which is equivalent to 2023 and 9% below the 2018/2022 average.
From left to right: Eric Hostalnou of the Pyrénées-Orientales Chamber of Agriculture, Bruno Darnaud of Peaches and Apricots of France, Georges Kantzios of the ASEPOP cooperative for Greece, Javier Basols of Cooperativas Agrarias for Spain, Elisa Macchi of CSO Italy and Manel Simon of AFRUCAT for Spain.
For more information:
AOP Pêches et Abricots de France
[email protected]