Following a trend that was already evident last year, in 2016 the production of apples in the European Union will see a decrease of about 3% compared to 2015. Among the main reasons for this are the frosts during the winter in several areas of Central Europe, including Slovenia, Austria, Croatia and Hungary. Overall, in the 21 main European apple producing countries (including Britain), a production of 12.005 million tonnes is forecast for 2016, compared to 12.325 million tonnes in the previous year.
These are some of the figures that were revealed on 4 August in Hamburg during the 2016 edition of Prognosfruit, the annual itinerant conference organised by WAPA (World Apple and Pear Association). Given the substantial hold of the sector there will be a normal production situation in Europe on the eve of Interpoma, the only event in the world dedicated exclusively to the apple sector, taking place from 24 to 26 November 2016 in the Bolzano trade fair district.
Regarding the main producing countries, the 2016 forecast for Poland gives an upward trend of around +4%, from 3.979 million to 4.150 million tonnes, whereas Italy is perfectly in line with 2015, with an expected 2.282 million tonnes (approx.). The negative forecast for France sticks out, with a -7% compared to last year, but then moving back just above the levels of two years ago. In particular, WAPA figures for the transalpine country give 1.564 million tonnes, compared to 1.674 million in 2015. The opposite is true for Germany which, on the eve of the 2016 campaign, sees a forecast of +8%, with 1.052 million tonnes compared to 973,000 tonnes last year. In sharp recovery is also Spain, with a +6% on last year. This means 509,000 tonnes, compared to 482,000 tonnes in 2015. The situation is very critical in general in various parts of Central Europe, because of the frosts last winter. There are negative signs with double figures in several countries such as Austria (-88%), Slovenia (-83%), Croatia (-65%), Slovakia (-58%) and the Czech Republic (-28%). But also -20% in Portugal, whereas Great Britain maintains the levels of last year, or slightly higher (+3%).
Operators meeting at Interpoma 2016 will therefore discuss how to address, in years of normal production (2015 and 2016 appear to be very similar from this standpoint) and without excessive stocks to be disposed of, problematic situations like the continuation of the Russian embargo, (which has almost completely cut trade ties with Western Europe) and the dynamics that various traditional markets are undergoing, where the young generation have definitely reduced their demand for apples.
“Today it’s not so much the needs of consumers that have changed, but rather their age”, says Kurt Werth, organiser of the "The Apple in the World” conference, to be held during Interpoma 2016. “For example, says Werth, in Germany, - a traditional outlet market for many apple producers - the older generation has not been completely replaced by the new one, inasmuch as young people consume fewer apples. We therefore had to look for new markets, such as North Africa and others.”
Then there are the problems of competition between East and West. Werth again points out: “Even if, for Western Europe, exports of apples to Russia were of relative importance, now, with the continuing embargo, Poland is pushing increasingly towards the West. I was recently in Russia for three weeks, where I visited several cities, and in the supermarkets I only saw New Zealand apples.”
Another issue pointed out by Werth is the need for greater efficiency in processing, to overcome present and future challenges. “Since the forecasts of this year are very similar to those of 2015, the game will be played in terms of quality and the efficiency of operators. Therefore in the South Tyrol we can have a leading role: Say we get an email from Helsinki asking for five different varieties of apples - within three hours they are already leaving by truck, whereas in other production concerns this doesn’t happen.”
It is also important to consider the varietal aspect. Prognosfruit figures for the EU record a decrease for Golden Delicious (which remain by far the most cultivated) with a -7% (or 2.364 million tonnes), followed by Gala (1.329 million tonnes, down -4%). Third place goes to the Idared
(1.064 million tonnes forecast in 2016), estimated to be down by -6%. Regarding this, Werth says: “If the forecasts are more or less confirmed, this year is going to be a normal production. But beware: it can be misleading to speak only of quantity without talking about quality. With controlled quantities, the club varieties, like Pink Lady, Kanzi and Jazz, already cost three times as much as older varieties such as Golden and others. The main variety produced in Poland, i.e. the Idared, are a fifth of the value compared to the club varieties mentioned. Clearly, the issue of quantity is very relative and can be misleading if other important factors are not considered.”
Interpoma 2016 is therefore a unique opportunity for operators in the apple sector to discuss new markets, technological innovations, logistics efficiencies and new varieties, in a field where the competitiveness among producing countries increases year after year.
For more information:
Elena Vincenzi; Stefania Duminuco
Interpoma Press Office c/o fruitecom
Tel. +39-059-7863894
