While Europe's apricot production this year has grown by approximately 21%, Spain expects a drop of around 10%, from 97,447 tonnes in 2013 to about 87,900 this year, despite the fact that the acreage has expanded in recent years responding to the fruit's strong demand and popularity in the market. The reason for this is that Spain is currently undergoing a varietal conversion.
Until recently, almost all Spanish apricots were white flesh varieties; however, as has already happened with seedless watermelons, European consumer trends have radically changed in favour of varieties with orange flesh and reddish skin, which generally have a more intense flavour and a juicier flesh, as well as a longer shelf life and a more optimal ripening. We are talking about varieties such as Mogador, Orange Red, Alba, Orange Ruby, etc.
Although France and Italy now have an advantage over Spain in the market for such varieties, Spanish growers have realised that the market demands a change towards orange-fleshed apricots. Thus, the decline in production this year is mainly due to numerous white apricot trees having been uprooted for the conversion, and that within two to three years, when the new acreage planted becomes productive, there will be a new growth.
