Despite an increase in temperatures, orchards have not been able to make up for the delay in vegetation over the spring and the Minister of Agriculture estimated on the 1st August that national apple production will reach 1.5 million tons, 6% lower than in 2015. Granny apples are expected to decrease the most by -15%.
Agreste reports that “In PACA, it is hard for the fruits to get bigger due to a hot start to the summer. Flowering would have been difficult, notably for the Granny variety. Thinning is still not finished. In the Midi-Pyrénées, Granny production will be in deficit due to rotation. Aphid attacks have been noted. Production appears to be comparable to that of 2015”.
Acreage in the Pays de la Loire has decreased compared to 2015, especially for Granny and Golden varieties. Agreste observes that vegetation could not make up for the delay over the spring, “The thinning period in Aquitaine dragged on. Fruit falling was late. Production will be 8 to 10 days late and 25% below that of 2015, a strong harvest year.”
More sun in July accelerated apple growth and colouring in the Rhone-Alpes. Harvest is expected to be within the average. However, in the Centre it is expected to drop by 9% “due to April frosts, lack of pollination and then heavy fruit falling following the cold weather in the Spring”. Production is delayed in Limousin and should be lower than in 2015. Due to a decrease in acreage, production is expected to decrease in the Languedoc-Roussillon.