Spanish apples taking advantage of empty market

"We have started with Gala apples, and we have found an empty market. The few stocks of apples from the southern hemisphere are at very high prices, which leaves an interesting gap for us," states Pedro Gil, manager of the producer and marketer Agrícola Gil.

The only drawback at the start of this campaign is "the excessive heat, which results in a more regular quality for the apples, compared to stonefruit, and which has affected the colouring on Gala apples. We have to wait to see what will happen with the weather," he points out.

The European apple harvest in 2015 is expected to reach 11,974,000 tonnes, 5% less than last year. The Golden Delicious will register a 5% drop, down to 2.546 million tonnes. The Gala will remain stable at 1,331,000 tonnes. The Idared is expected to register a 7% drop, down to 1,111,000 tonnes, while the Red Delicious will grow by 5%, to 644,000 tonnes.