Apples are easy to store. They can be enjoyed weeks or even months after the harvest, still as crisp and fresh as if they had just been picked from the tree. Thanks to their small carbon footprint, they are also recommended from a climate protection perspective and allow healthy enjoyment with a clear conscience. However, last year's harvest was smaller than in previous years. "At just 2.5 million metric decitons (dt), the 2024 apple harvest in Lower Saxony, Germany, was below the level of the last six years (on average 2.8 million)," writes the State Office for Statistics. The yield fell to 309.1 dt/ha, compared to 338.5 dt/ha in the previous year. "The reason for this was the consistently wet weather," said Claus Schliecker, chairman of the fruit-growing division of Landvolk Niedersachsen.
The wet conditions led to losses in yield, quality, and even trees, mainly because the necessary plant protection measures could not be fully implemented. "The pests have multiplied in the orchards," Schliecker explained. Hail in spring and fall further reduced the market quality of all fruits. According to the Federal Agency for Agriculture and Food (BLE), prices for all types of fruit have risen due to the approximately ten percent reduction in harvest volumes, while demand remained stable. The production value therefore increased by ten percent to 1.2 billion euros compared to 2023.
Impressions of the Obstbautage in 2023 and 2024.
At the 75th Norddeutschen Obstbautagen, taking place in Jork from February 11 to 15, the economic importance of the industry will be on full display. Especially regarding the keynote speaker on Thursday, February 13, at the Altländer Festhalle in Jork, who is Joachim Rukwied, President of the Deutscher Bauernverband (en.: German Farmers' Association, DBV). He will be speaking at the association's political afternoon for the Landvolk Niedersachsen, Kreisbauernverband Stade. After the tour of the fair with invited guests, Claus Schliecker, chairman of the fruit-growing section of the Landvolk Niedersachsen, will open the event, before Jens Stechmann, chairman of the Federal Committee for Fruit and Vegetables, will give an overview of the federal fruit-growing section. In addition, the master craftsman's certificates will be handed over to the master gardeners specializing in fruit growing from 2022 to 2024.
On Tuesday, February 11, at 3 p.m., the lecture event on the research results of the Esteburg Obstbauzentrum Jork will begin in the Altländer Festhalle. This year, the topics will focus on technical innovations in top fruit, such as automated apple harvesting, the results of using agri-photovoltaics in apple production, and quality parameters in apple growing under protective cover. In addition to the lecture events, around 200 exhibitors from Germany and abroad will be showcasing the latest innovations.
For more information:
www.norddeutsche-obstbautage.de