Almost all of the red variety apples have been sold, making it very difficult to meet the strong demand for these apples, says Matoula Katsika, export and sales manager for Greek fruit exporter A.C. Kissavos: "The availability for red apple varieties is rather low at the moment, 90 to 95% has all been sold out of the cold storage rooms. For the current moment, the red apple is in high demand. However, we're heading towards the end of the apple season, and the available red quantities are generally small and cannot meet the current demand. As Kissavos, we've been running out of red apples for about a month. As for the remaining quantities of other varieties, some smaller quantities remain. The Granny Smith apples also hold a very good position in the markets so far."
© Kissavos
According to Katsika, some Greek apple orchards are being replaced for the production of other fruits, as this season has not been as profitable as they'd hoped for. "Prices this season were slightly lower than during the previous one, especially for Granny Smith apples. The production and trade of apples did not yield the expected profits. Thus, several producers have turned to reducing their apple cultivation and replacing apples with other fruits, such as kiwis, cherries, apricots, peaches, and so on."
Greece had to endure frosty weather conditions this year, but Katsika emphasizes that dealing with extreme weather has become routine: "Several orchards in Greece have suffered damage in general from the recent frost on March 20-21, 2025, where temperatures of -3°C and -4°C were recorded. Unfortunately, every year we face the problem of intense weather conditions. This resulted in poor fertilization of the trees, stopping the swelling of the buds, and the good flowering of the trees. It has since moved on to the next phase, which is a lack of fruit setting."
© Kissavos
"In 2023, we had the Daniel floods, in 2024 we had hail, and this year, in 2025, there has been both frost and intense rainfall. Our assessment is that for both the red and Granny Smith apples, there will be reduced production due to the frost and the continued rainfall. In the other varieties, we hope the expected production will be met."
As frost also hit other companies, this might create an opportunity for Greek apples in the coming season, Katsika explains. "The frost in Turkey will not affect our strategy, because the market is huge and can accommodate many more apples, not just Greek or Turkish ones. However, perhaps the reduction in Turkish apple production can create opportunities for Greek producers, as it will increase the demand for Greek apples in international markets. That being said, in Greece we'll also have losses due to the frost."
"The weather continues to surprise us. Right now, temperatures are at normal levels, but since we are already in the last month of spring, it will gradually normalize. We hope it will not have last year's prolonged heat wave with 42 to even 44 degrees Celsius. This affected everyone in our area unpleasantly, even degrading the quality of the apples," Katsika concludes.
For more 
© Kissavos information:
Matoula Katsika
A.C Kissavos
Tel: +30 24940 22261
Email: [email protected]
https://kissavosgroup.gr
