The Dutch apple and pear harvest is complete. The post-harvest survey shows that the fruit weight of both apples and pears was slightly higher than previously expected. Especially in September (during the second picking), the fruit continued to grow strongly. This has resulted in somewhat higher final harvest figures compared to the summer estimate, according to information from GroentenFruit Huis based on the harvest estimate working group, which includes NFO, CBS, Delphy, and GroentenFruit Huis.
In the Netherlands, a total of 236 million kilos of apples (compared to 226 million kilos in the summer estimate) were picked, and 358 million kilos of pears (compared to 348 million kilos in the summer estimate) came off the trees. The apple harvest is 22 per cent larger than last year, and growers picked 11 per cent more pears. This makes the pear harvest equal in size to that of 2023.
Forty-one per cent of the apple harvest is Elstar (97 million kilos), followed by 25 per cent Jonagold/Jonagored (58 million kilos). Conference accounts for 74 per cent of the total Dutch pear harvest, amounting to 266 million kilos picked this year. Doyenné du Comice and Xenia each accounted for 23 million kilos, followed by Beurré Alexander Lucas with 21 million kilos.
Source: NFO
