March cold spell may have major impact on North Carolina apple crops

In Henderson County, the unseasonably warm weather in the last part of February continued into early March, but there was quite a cold snap last week and at the beginning of…

Lower organic apple volumes out of South America expected

The US organic apple market is dealing with conflicting pressures. Washington’s organic apple production is down about 25 percent. “With supplies being shorter and grower expenses up, the price per pound is generally up as well,” says Ben Johnson with Bridges Produce. “This is conflicting at a time when…

"Resilient growers have fought hard to produce high quality apples once again"

Fern Ridge Fresh, based in Hawkes Bay, have been in business for over 20 years. The company sources apples from growers all across New Zealand - from Gisborne and Hawkes Bay in the North Island to Nelson, Canterbury and Central Otago in the South Island. "We export the typical New Zealand apple varieties…

Chile apple season well underway with new Fuji varieties near commercialisation

As Chile’s apple harvest and export season is well underway with good volumes to the US, new Fuji apple varieties are in the final stages of evaluation to be launched commercially in time for the next season. Alternatives after Gala were also presented by Andes New Varieties Administration (AnaChile), a variety…

'Sub-standard products destroying Kashmir apple sector'

President of the Fruit Mandi Sopore, Fayaz Ahmed Malik, has stated that sub-standard fertilizers and spurious pesticides are a constant threat to Kashmir horticulture. He said…

"The use of protection systems should start to be considered to ensure at least part of the stone fruit harvest survives"

The long-awaited cherry season is approaching in Spain, and the first fruits will be delivered in less than a month from greenhouses such as that of Fruit Luxury, in Huesca. "We expect to harvest the first volumes between April 15 and 20," says Javier de Pablo Camarasa, agronomist and manager of the…

EastFruit

Georgian apple exports have increased over the year, but there is a catch

From September, which marks the start of the apple season in Georgia, to the end of February, Georgia has exported 6 300 tonnes of apples – 17% more than in the same period but a year before. Export prices were practically unchanged from the previous season, so the revenues from exports in USD have also…

Moldova dramatically expanded the geography of apple exports in 2022

According to Moldovan statistics, in 2021, the country supplied apples to 18 countries of the world, and the list expanded to 30 last year. The heads of ministries,…

Rockit partners with Emirates Red Crescent to celebrate Ramadan

New Zealand apple brand Rockit has partnered with Emirates Red Crescent to make the month of Ramadan special for all. The partnership will see Rockit donate 1 dirham for every Ramadan-inspired Rockit giftbox sold – containing two tubes of iconic Rockit™ apples – to the Emirates Red Crescent, supporting…

Bob Mast awarded 2023 Apple Citizen of the Year

The Washington State Apple Blossom Festival announced on March 17th that Bob Mast, President of CMI Orchards, is being recognized as the 2023 Apple Citizen of the Year. The award was bestowed in a surprise presentation by Festival Administrator Darci Christoferson, along with Apple Blossom Queen…

“The Polish apple season should still be going by the start of June at the very least”

After two strong months, March has been on and off when it comes to the apple trade in Poland. Mateusz Wajnert, head of sales for Polish apple exporter Galster, states that demand is looking similar to previous years: “After both a very good January and February, March seems kind of unreal. We have weeks…

New Zealand’s Posy apples on the way to global markets

Mr Apple is excited to launch the 2023 apple season with PosyTM apples now en route to customers across the globe. “We stand by our 5 Point Promise which is our promise of apple excellence, juicy and sweet with exceptional taste and texture, customers are eagerly anticipating the arrival of Posy with…

"This next step opens the door for the apple variety to be grown in other countries and sold under the Soluna™ brand"

The Bravo® apple is running slightly late this season, however fruit is expected to be harvested mid-late April around Australia. The harvest will start in Western Australia – Perth Hills or Stanthorpe Queensland. "We expect volumes to be up 10-15% from the 2022 season however, this is a reduction from…

"We have to be careful not to mistake today's higher sales for profits"

"There seem to be more and more positive signs coming from the top fruit market," says Louis De Cleene of Devos Group. "Both pears and apples are running off very well. Demand has always been high this season, but now supply really seems to be dwindling, especially for good quality. Still, turnover…

Aldi was the biggest recipient of the BAPL apples in the UK - February of this year

With approximately 4,000 tonnes of British apples sold by BAPL growers in February of this year, Aldi was again the biggest recipient of the fruit in the UK. The chain was followed by Tesco, Sainsburys and Lidl. Here’s the same monthly data presented as a percentage of all British apples sold, by supermarkets…

Prices slightly up on short British Columbia apple crop

While many varieties of fresh apples have finished shipping out of British Columbia, some fresh varieties remain. “There are a handful of larger operations with controlled atmosphere capacity that are still packing but overall the crop is down compared to 2021. It will run short--the industry will be out…

Chilean apples on the way to the US

In a year when the U.S. apple crop volume is down nearly 10 percent versus the prior year, retailers can look forward to a fresh crop arriving from the southern hemisphere keeping consumers shopping the apple deck and providing fresh-picked flavor and promotional volumes throughout the spring and summer.…

Exports of 2022 apples from Moldova will be half that of last year

According to experts from Moldovan organizations of agricultural producers in Moldova, about 60 000-65 000 tonnes of apples from the harvest of 2022 remained in the…

Polish farmers warn about apple market price drop

Despite the increase in the supply of apples to the countries of Southeast Asia and Latin America, Polish growers could not fully compensate for the loss of the market for…

Magic Star apple coming to the United States

Continuing their goal to offer new and exciting tree fruit options to the industry, Proprietary Variety Management proudly announces they have reached an agreement with Fresh Forward, a plant breeder and marketing company in Huissen, The Netherlands. PVM will become the exclusive U.S.  propagation and commercialization…

EastFruit

Apple prices in Poland, Ukraine and Moldova remain critically low

According to EastFruit analysts, prices for fresh apples of the most common variety Golden Delicious in Poland, Ukraine, and Moldova remain stable, showing no signs of recovery. The lowest prices are in Poland, which had a good apple yield in 2022. The price situation is very similar to all of the main…

"Exporting apples during the war, we were told it was foolishness"

"During the first month of the war, we did not export and instead focused on the safety of our team and loved ones. During this time, all supply chains were destroyed and…

Chairman Azad seeks special package for fruit growers of Kashmir

Chairman of the Democratic Progressive Azad Party, Ghulam Nabi Azad, has demanded a special aid package for Kashmir fruit growers in form of extra levies on apple imports.…

"As a smaller cooperative, we can be a nice alternative for indecisive growers"

There is currently much ado in Belgium with the upcoming BelOrta/ Belgische Fruitveiling (BFV) merger. The big cooperatives seem to be getting increasingly large. But in the shadow of these big cooperatives, New Green CVBA wants to be an alternative for indecisive growers. "I think we can be of great…

"The business around Italian imported apples has developed quite strongly in just a few years"

With the arrival of the first Mauritanian watermelons and Spanish strawberries, the spring campaign is ready to get underway at Herner Gastro Service Ltd. "Due to the rainy weather, demand for early watermelons is currently still restrained. We therefore hope that the weather will now become a little…

Earthquakes in Turkey increased demand for Kashmir apples in Indian markets

Fruit growers have heaved a sigh of relief as demand for Kashmir apples has shot by more than 40 percent in different markets across the country. Industry sources said the…

Apple board at White House to discuss trade, ag labor

The U.S. Apple Association’s Board of Directors met yesterday with White House policy staff at the White House to discuss critical issues impacting the apple industry. Sixteen USApple board members from across the country met with Joan Hurst, director for agricultural affairs at the Office of the U.S.…

Eastern buyers prefer the taste of South African Grannies

Richaardt Lingenfelder is a third generation farmer next to the Theewaterskloof, South Africa’s fourth largest dam (built on land that previously belonged to their family). The Theewaterskloof Dam“On Arendsig we have 50ha of fruit apples and pears, and a little bit of plums. We’re very privileged to have…

Gross apple production expected to be down 7.9% from 2022

Heading into the 2023 harvest, the adverse flooding in the eastern states in late 2022 and two significant hail events in the Goulburn Valley will no doubt impact the supply…

Prevar - developing premium cultivars by identifying future market opportunities

Prevar™ is a New Zealand based business that prides itself on being at the forefront of fruit innovation on the world stage, developing and commercialising apple and pear cultivars. The recent impact of cyclone Garbielle has been devastating for many. “We stand behind the industry and alongside our…

Michigan apple growers vote to approve continuation referendum

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has announced that Michigan apple producers have approved a referendum to continue the Michigan Apple Advertising…

Not all high-flavor apple varieties impacted by consumers trading down

East Coast apple varieties SnapDragon and RubyFrost are both seeing an increased interest this season. “A smaller Washington crop likely played some role, but greater awareness and consumer interest in the varieties also factor in that growth,” says Jessica Wells with Crunch Time Apple Growers. Helpful…

"Apple prices have eventually begun rising again"

There seemed to be no end to the European apple market's woes. However, the season's end is becoming an unexpected bright spot. "We've been more optimistic these last few weeks. Demand is picking up, and prices, too, have risen slightly. They're not yet optimal, but it's vital that we keep clearing…

Optimism growing in dual-purpose pear orchard experiment

Early results from Australia’s first ever pear orchard agrivoltaic experiment have provided researchers with valuable insights that will help shape the future of agriculture.…

New peeling machine Pearl6 for Williams pears

The company's know-how and knowledge of the products' organoleptic characteristics made it possible for PND to design a new generation of Williams pear processing machines. Valerio De Caro The PEARL6, a six-head pear peeler, de-seeder and separator, is unique and has many advantages and advanced technologies,"…

New Sunrise Magic apple variety available across the US

It usually takes about two decades to bring a new apple cultivar to market. With universities and private breeding programs trying to speed up the process, new varieties are launched fairly often nowadays. An example of a new variety is the WA 2 cultivar that was bred in 1994 and released for test in…

"Chilean Gala apples' quality is better than in past years"

The first Royal Gala apples are underway from South America to Cesil Import & Export in the Netherlands. "There are currently hardly any Chilean red Gala apples. So, I'm proud to have scooped these up," says Silvia Piezzi. This season, she is partnering with Chilean apple exporter, Cespyfruit. "Chile's growing…

Massive problems ahead for apple growing region of Hawke’s Bay

There are large problems ahead for one of NZ's major apple growing regions; Nearly half of Hawke's Bay's apple orchards have been damaged, some critically, by cyclone…

In 2022, China imported the largest volume of apples in the last three years

According to EastFruit analysts, the volume of apple imports to China in 2022 jumped by 40% and became the largest in the last three seasons and one of the largest ever. In…

March storage apples down 7.7 percent over last year

According to a monthly survey from US Apple, the total number of apples in storage on March 1, 2023, was 88.4 million bushels, 7.7 percent less than last March’s total of 95.8…

“We have a full crop of apples and they are looking good"

The apple harvest is just about to start in Tasmania and grower Howard Hansen from Hansen Orchards is hopeful of a return to a normal season after hail destroyed a whole orchard in the Huon Valley in the 2022 season. “I’m hoping we used all our bad luck last year,” said Howard. “We have a full crop of…

Tunisian Minister of Commerce delays fixing sales prices of apples and bananas

Less than 24 hours after the announcement that it would set out to fix the prices of apples and bananas on the Tunisian market, the Ministry of Commerce backpedaled. The…

European Commission

Several EU member states will produce smaller fruit sizes and, therefore, lower volumes

The ongoing crop 2022/23 for was initially estimated by WAPA at a volume very similar to the preceding crop. Since the month of August 2022, however, several Member States registered additional drought and heatwave events that will result on smaller fruit sizes and, therefore, lower volumes. In the case of…

"The new Giga, Red Pop and Cosmic Crisp apples designed to appeal to a young and modern audience"

South Tyrol's apple growers are among the pioneers in the cultivation of organic apples. This includes the Association of South Tyrolean Fruit Cooperatives (VOG), which has been present in over 40 markets for several years. "We cooperate with many national as well as international partners and have now…

Cornell University professor says apples, grapes won’t be affected too badly

The average temperature for winter, in this case from December 1, 2022 to February 28, 2023, was the fourth warmest on record, with an average temperature of 30 degrees…

Bumper crop predicted for this year's Australian KANZI® apple season

KANZI® apple growers are predicting a record crop with the harvest of the popular apple variety set to begin in the next few weeks, a little later than in previous seasons. Horticulture Brand Management Australia Pty Ltd (HBMA) General Manager, Ms Elisa King says that even though the weather’s been…

"Candine Bio is going to be the first organic apple marketed in Morocco"

ASF Edition, the French innovation subsidiary of the Frutaria group, and O'Terroir joined this select club in the last edition of Fruitlogistica, Berlin 2023. O´Terroir thus becomes a producer and distributor of the Candine organic apple, with a commitment to developing this 25-hectares-in-production Bio…

“Not all apple growers will have available stock until the end of the season”

Sales for Polish apples have been strong this season, says Jan Nowakowski, manager for Polish apple distributor, Genesis Fresh. It has led to lower stocks being available at this point in the season compared to last season: “According to the latest WAPA figures, in Poland we still have 1 million tons of…

"The export of apples from multiple production areas is facing challenges"

Currently, production and export in many apple-producing areas are facing challenges. Rising inflation rates in the northern hemisphere have caused consumers to switch to cheaper varieties, and the market demand for high-end apple varieties has declined. In the southern hemisphere, hurricanes in New…

Eximcrop helps Georgian producers to sell apples in the Gulf countries

In the coming days, the first container with 20 tonnes of apples from the Georgian producer Tirifoni Fruits will be exported to Dubai (UAE). The delivery is organized by Eximcrop under a joint memorandum signed by Eximcrop, Tiriphoni Fruits LLC, and the USAID Agricultural Program in December 2021, to…

“SwingBio is gaining shares on a shrinking market”

The SwingBio apple has been on the market for 4 years. The current context is particularly difficult for the organic sector, but the new two-tone apple continues to gain market shares. “The tonnage sold this year is estimated at 2,500 tons and the sales rate is growing despite a complicated and very…

Small volumes and diversified markets for Moldovan apple

According to the customs service of the Republic of Moldova, the exports of apples in February 2023 amounted to just over 14 000 tonnes. The February exports of Moldovan…

"Our sales are fully focused on overseas wholesale markets"

In the Netherlands, 1 Fresh International is getting the last of its Santa Maria and Devici pears. This wholesaler sells a wide range of Dutch and Spanish fruits and vegetables, but Turkish trade is its mainstay. "We were going to get Turkish tomatoes, too, but have postponed that for now because of the…

VOG: optimism for the second part of the apple season

After a difficult start due to declining European consumption and strong international competition, there are glimmers of optimism for the rest of the 2022/2023 apple season. This is the assessment outlined by the VOG Consortium at Fruit Logistica, the international fruit and vegetable fair in Berlin.  “The…

“Fruit industry in the Eastern Cape is facing a perfect storm”

This weekend the Langkloof, straddling the Eastern and Western Cape, had hail for the third time this summer over an area extending through almost the entire valley from Avontuur and Uniondale in the west to Joubertina and Krakeel, with perhaps most damage around Misgund.The topfruit harvest is around a…

How to keep Washington pears in the spotlight?

Washington pears have moved into promotable territory. “We are starting to wrap up on some varieties and organics, but green and red d’Anjou pears remain in good supply with promotion opportunities,” says Brianna Shales of Stemilt Growers. “Summer pears like Bartlett are winding down and Bosc is as…

"If the flowering had happened on the usual dates, we would be talking about a disaster"

In recent days, night temperatures have again fallen to sub-zero levels in various fruit and vegetable producing areas of Spain. In the case of stone fruit, frost damage has been reported in Badajoz, where temperatures have reached -5ºC in some areas and, to a lesser extent, in Zaragoza. Although…

European apple stocks in February were 6.4% lower than in 2022

WAPA, the World Apple and Pear Association, released the apple and pear stock figures for 1 February 2023. The figures show that in Europe apple stocks decreased by -6.4% compared to 2022 to reach 3 377 583 T, while pear stocks also increased slightly by 0.6% to reach 410 711 T. In the USA, apple stocks…

Belarus prohibited the export of onions and apples

Self-restriction on exports was introduced on February 15 and will last two and a half months, until April 30, 2023. According to the document, onions and apples cannot be…

Ukrainian apple export needs to be completed by the end of April

Theoretically, the prices of apples should increase during the first half of the year, experts believe, because there is a classic relationship: the fewer the leftovers, the…

“This year has been quantitatively and financially difficult for the Rocha pear”

With approximately 40% of a normal harvest, this year’s Rocha pear campaign will end earlier than usual. “We will have merchandise until the end of April/beginning of May, while we usually sell until the end of June” explains Eric Tastayre, manager of Apifood. “We will try to go as far as possible in the…

The ANPP calls for an urgent safeguard plan for the next 24 months

The National Association of Apples and Pears asks for a safeguard plan for the French apple, with measures based on three pillars, for the coming 24 months. During his visit to the Salon de l'Agriculture, Minister Marc Fesneau announced the launch of a 200 million euro sovereignty plan for the fruit and…

SIA 2023: "Our stand is always full!"

This 2023 edition is off to a great start for Juliet organic apples, which have been present at the Agricultural Show for about fifteen years now: "We had a very large attendance this weekend as well as yesterday. Significantly more than in other years," reports Jean-Noël Carles, president of the…

The ANPP awards Lidl the award for the retailer most committed to the French apple

"The French fruit growers gathered within the National Association of Apples and Pears have awarded for the first time, the award for the retailer most committed to the French apple. Daniel Sauvaitre, President of the ANPP, Michel Biero, Executive Director of Purchasing LIDL France / © ANPP This prize…

Puerto Rican tried to smuggle oranges, apples and ginger into Dominican Republic

The Ministry of Agriculture, through the Department of Plant Health, has reported the seizure of contraband of fruits and vegetables, at the Santo Domingo pier. He explained…

Some 4000 hectares of Hawke's Bay apple orchards affected by Gabrielle

A new analysis of the damage to apple orchards in Hawke's Bay shows nearly half of the crop was affected by Cyclone Gabrielle in one way or another. New Zealand Apples and…

Moi University sees inaugural apple harvest that will diversify income

Moi University has harvested its first apples as the university seeks to diversify its revenue sources. The university becomes one of the educational institutions in Kenya to…

Some Ontario apple growers concerned apples seen as a luxury

Upcoming forecasts for snow in Ontario are a welcome sight for the province’s apple growers. “We were concerned earlier in the winter that things were too warm, but they have cooled off and the 14-day forecast into March looks cool with some snow. We’re always glad to see the white stuff in our orchards…

British Apples & Pears to start publishing monthly sales data February 2023

British Apples & Pears Limited (BAPL) will start publishing monthly sales data on its website from February 2023. The data, aggregated from BAPL member returns, will show the…

Domestic apples in demand, wholesale prices stagnating

Usually, after the hectic Christmas sales, the fruit and vegetable market cools down somewhat in January. Not so with apples. Traditionally, business regarding domestic…

Brazil: IDR research forwards launch of new apple cultivars

The Experimental unit of the Instituto de Desenvolvimento Rural – IDR in Palmas is following the various research phases for the launch of new apple cultivars to producers.…

Ukraine, Iran and Poland sharply increased apple exports to Uzbekistan in 2022

According to EastFruit analysts, Uzbekistan sharply increased the imports of fresh apples in 2022. They rose by 2.5 times over the year and reached a record 26 700 tonnes.…

Himachal apple growers seek audience with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu

Six months after their massive protest outside the Himachal Pradesh secretariat over non-fulfilment of pending demands, members of the Sanyukt Kisan Manch -- a conglomerate of…

University of Minnesota releases apple variety resistant to apple scab

The apple breeding program at the University of Minnesota’s Horticultural Research Center recently released its latest apple variety. The Triumph variety apple contains two…

Boom Northeast apple crop and imports bring strong volumes through summer

Last year’s domestic apple crop is a tale of two seasons as weather conditions in major growing regions dictated significantly different results for orchards in the Northwest and Northeast. The extreme heat in late summer and overall challenging weather conditions in Washington caused a 20 percent drop…

SweeTango’ Apple: The first apple of the season ready for customers

Australian family-owned fresh produce business Montague is presenting its first apple variety of the 2023 harvest: SweeTango. SweeTango is crisp and sweet with a zesty…

“We are going to accentuate our leadership in pears”

La Blottière®, pear and apple cultivar owners and growers from France, celebrated the company’s 60th anniversary with partners and customers at Fruit Logistica 2023. David Socheleau, manager of La Blottière Group, looks back at the company history. "The 60’s and 70’s were devoted to the development of our…

China will start importing apples from Iran

Iran’s Agriculture Minister Javad Sadatinejad has said that China will start importing apples from Iran under a deal signed last week, adding that some 100,000 tons of Iranian…

South African top fruit growers look for new destinations in India and China

Roux Groenewald, CEO of Betko in Villiersdorp, has seen an early interest from Europe in Royal Gala. He attributes this to the impact of heat waves and the high cost of…

"It is not the apple variety per se, but the cultivation initiative as a whole that represents a club concept"

The intensive, many years long research onto the apples of the future from the Alte Land region resulted in the "Deichperle" apple about two years ago. The scab-resistant cross between Topaz and Dalinbel was bred by the Niederelbe ZIN breeding initiative in cooperation with the Osnabrück University of…

Club varieties bear the brunt in subdued European topfruit market

The “massive” impact of hail in Ceres and Grabouw was probably underestimated in the South African topfruit industry’s first crop estimate, according to topfruit producer and exporter Tru-Cape. From what they’ve been seeing in their packhouses over February, Tru-Cape’s managing director Roelf Pienaar…

Grower-shipper highlights U.S.-grown fruit offerings at SEPC

Superfresh Growers® looks forward to seeing industry friends at the Southeastern Produce Council (SEPC) Southern Exposure this week. It will display its year-round Pacific Northwest apple and pear offerings and discuss its upcoming cherry and blueberry harvests. Using the latest technology and growing practices,…

Innovation project leads to improved apple and pear storage

The Belgian company Optiflux, supported by The Province of Flemish Brabant and research partners KU Leuven and VCBT, has developed smart technology for the improved cold storage of top fruit. "The 'Digifruit' innovation project lets fruit growers store apples and pears more efficiently, cheaper, and…

"This year, apples are disastrous and, with pears, you just cover costs"

These are uncertain times for Belgian fruit growers. Protests for better prices, talks of intent between cooperatives, and cultivation challenges are piling up. "It's a wonderful profession, but as things stand, I sometimes wonder how I can manage it all. The apples are a disaster this year, and with the…

35% of Hawkes Bay apple crop could be lost due to Cyclone Gabrielle

Some 35% of Hawkes Bay apple crop could be lost due to Cyclone Gabrielle, says Paul Paynter of the Yummy Fruit Company, one of the region’s largest apple orcharding…

Strong start for EverCrisp apple crop

Superfresh Growers® says its second Washington State EverCrisp® apple crop is off to a great start. A rising star born in the Midwest, EverCrisp is now also enjoying a solid retail focus across the coastal and mountain west, south-central and beyond. EverCrisp’s name comes from its ability to hold…

Nigerian growers try to leverage apples for export

In Nigeria, the majority of apples consumed are imported from countries like South Africa and the United States of America. Statistics show that at least 50, 000 tons of these…

Kent apple farmers forced to dig up orchards

Apple farmers in Kent are digging up their orchards in the face of stagnant returns on the fruit. According to British Apples & Pears Limited (BAPL), the industry is on a…

“Overall the Turkish apple season has been rather stable”

After a slower start the Turkish apples have performed rather well this season, says Kubra Guven, marketing manager of Ana Fruit. “This year, the crop quality and harvest for Turkish apples was very good. Demand started a bit slow, but has picked up later in the season in some of the target markets like…

South African pome fruit by necessity finding new footholds in the East

“When I started in 2005, as soon as Royal Gala was harvested, by week 6 or week 7, you’d start loading for the UK. Over the intervening years the UK started ordering on average ten weeks later but this year, for the first time in many years, I’m seeing that requests from the UK for Royal Gala are already…

“It’s a tough deal for new apple varieties”

As opposed to Washington, the US East Coast is enjoying good apple production numbers this season. “Both New York State and Pennsylvania have good crops,” says Tim Mansfield with Sun Orchard Fruit Co. The growing conditions were very good and as a result, the crop’s total volume is expected to be above…

“Exporters are finding new markets, without giving up on Egypt as a market”

Frustratingly, Polish apple exporters still haven’t been offered a solution to the Egyptian banks stopping the financial transactions. Mohamed Marawan, owner of Polish apple exporter Sarafruit, does emphasize that it can still get sorted, but who knows when that will be. “Despite our hopes and wishes,…

"We won’t know the true impact to our crop until we reach the end of harvest"

It’s been a challenging week for Te Matau-a-Māui, Aotearoa (Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand), and Rockit's thoughts continue to be with their Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne growers, people, partners and community who have all been impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle. "The health and safety of our people remains our top…

"Smaller sizes are currently selling a lot better than thicker pears"

The pear market seems to be running smoothly during the second half of the season. "There is really nothing really holding back the pears at the moment. Trade is flowing in all directions and the markets we serve are running well," says Wendy Bangels of BP Fruitcraft. The Kortenaken-based trading…

Cosmic Crisp apple sales jump to top 10 nationally

The Cosmic Crisp® brand apple launched the season with the largest sales gains among the top 40 selling apple varieties in the United States. A review of Nielsen sales data released by Proprietary Variety Management (PVM) shows Cosmic Crisp® sales and volume increasing, leading all other major varieties…

Rosy-Lwazi is making its debut this season in South Africa

Rosy-Lwazi, a brand-new very early red blush pear is making it's debut this season in South Africa. The Rosy-Lwazi variety was bred locally by the Infruitec-Nietvoorbij…

Long-term contracts key to survive shocks for Hungarian fresh produce cooperative

The Hungarian fruit and vegetable cooperative Szatmár Régió, based in the eastern part of the country, said that, due to long-term contracts, they are reasonably covered from external shocks, such as high energy prices. They specialize in exporting sour cherries, gherkins, apples and pears. According to Attila…

UK: Weekly average wholesale market prices for fruit and vegetables

The average wholesale prices of selected home-grown horticultural produce in England and Wales up to Monday, 20 February 2023. In this week's average wholesale market prices…

US sees early start to apple import season

The import apple season has started earlier than usual following Washington’s smaller 2022-2023 crop. Don Roper with Honeybear Brands says the marketing window for imported apples will be expanded and that fruit is already on the water from Chile. “While each variety has a different start date, in…

Promotable volumes on Washington pears, especially organic

As the Washington pear season hits halfway into the 2022 crop, supplies for Superfresh Growers are steady on Anjou, Red Anjou, Bosc and organic Anjou. “We are ready to promote Anjou pears and plan to have volume into summer, touching new crop,” says Cat Gipe-Stewart, director of marketing with Superfresh…

In Kazakhstan, in the foothills, growers are concerned about the sale of the crop

Last year, growers in the foothills harvested and stored almost 23.4 thousand tons of apples, which is enough to fully meet the needs of the region's inhabitants for vitamins…

Warm weather may affect fruit set in Himachal Pradesh

An unusually warm February has raised concerns of fruit growers in Himachal Pradesh as it has led to premature flowering in apple trees which could lead to a poor fruit…

South Island apple growers help cyclone hit growers

Apple growers near Nelson have donated machinery to try to help counterparts in Hawke’s Bay, to salvage crops, and clean up cyclone-hit orchards. A truckload of equipment…

Pomefruit growers appreciate Cape’s summer rain as dams start running dry

The Western Cape is receiving larger amounts of summer rainfall than usual just as the Department of Water and Sanitation has notified the public that the average level of Western Cape dams has fallen below 50%.“The rain is very welcome for apples and pears,” says a Ceres-based pomefruit technician. He…

Fresh produce price increases help drive food inflation in South Africa

Prices of fruits and vegetables were a major factor in the fastest rate of inflation growth in over 14 years in South Africa. Food inflation in South Africa increased from…

French Apple & Pear Association asks Carrefour to stop unfair imports

As French apple growers are faced with an unprecedented increase in costs and a very difficult economic situation, they asked large-scale distributors in January to promote French apples and raise their price by 0.20€/kg [0.21 USD/kg] in order to be able to live from their profession. Carrefour chose to…

"Despite the war, Ukraine has the best Royal Gala apples on the Swedish market"

Royal Gala apples from the Ukraine are selling really well in Sweden. According to Daniel Larsson, Hebe Frukt & Grönsaker AB, the Swedish importer and distributor of fresh fruit and vegetables, “Despite the war, Ukraine has the best Royal Gala apples on the Swedish market" “We are one of the first in Scandinavia…

"With the consumption of 20 years ago, we would have had a good apple season now"

Price wins out over quality towards the end of the apple season. This is Tony Derwael's conclusion on the current state of affairs. "The situation is of course generally known, but due to inflation we see that people are increasingly looking for cheaper options. There is a shift from more expensive…

"The impact of Cyclone Gabrielle has been immense"

Cyclone Gabrielle has hit New Zealand farmers hard, some have lost everything. Some apple growers has just started the harvest and the orchards were full of trees with apples…

Polish apples enjoy strong demand for most popular export varieties

The Polish apples are doing better in 2023 than they were doing in December of last year. Mateusz Wajnert, head of sales for Polish apple exporter Galster, states there is good demand for the export varieties at the moment. “After a slow December, it’s been a good time ever since. There has been very…

"Pear market is going well, apple sales are a different story"

Apples and pears might be similar to some, but both markets show a totally different picture at the moment. "Just before the Berlin fair, the market for Conference pears was really hot," says Emanuel Sluis of trading platform Service2Fruit. "Now, the market has stabilised somewhat." "The market for the…

Karma; a new apple variety

From March 2 – 4 Starr Ranch Growers will be showing their latest apple variety Karma at Southern Exposure’s Orlando show. “It is a new and exclusive Starr Ranch Growers proprietary variety that we’ve been working on for the last ten years,” says Dan Davis with the company. “We believe it will do well because of its gorgeous…

Poland in talks to export apples to Indonesia

According to a Polish diplomat Poland is currently in talks with the Indonesian government to export apples to Indonesia. Polish government data showed that Poland's exports…

“The market needs the Gala, Golden, Mutsu and Prince varieties right now”

The cost of storing apples is leading to price increases for the apples themselves, says Janusz Kawęczyński, president of Polish apple exporter Fruit-Group: “It’s very hard to calculate which variety is the most in stock at this very moment, but theoretically there should be a lot of Idared and…

"Irrigation was becoming increasingly bothersome"

Dutch grower Aard Robaard of Akkerbouw- en Fruitteeltbedrijf De Meerhof can partially irrigate his fruit. Yet, he will soon stop doing so. Aard has invested in three FrostFans mobile frost protectors. "I met Ernst Slabbekoorn of ForstFans at the Zeeland Fruit Growing Day and, right away, loved how the…

Apple exports: the major changes of the last three years

Cardell Export has built its reputation around the export of French apples worldwide. The company has indeed been able to adapt to markets with very different expectations. Although a good part of its revenue comes from the French market, Cardell exports to most European countries, as well as to the…

“With 43% of sales of apples in bags, consumers increasingly focus on price”

The second part of the French apple campaign is already well underway. Sandrine Gaborieau, marketing and communication manager of ANPP, gives an update on the current state of the market. “We started the year 2023 with relatively low stocks, in France and in Europe. On January 1st, the European stocks…

Many production areas under water, too early to estimate extent of damage

New Zealand is dealing with the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle which hit the country on Monday night. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has called Gabrielle the biggest weather event to hit the country in the last century. It is estimated to have affected at least a third of the country’s five million…

Himachal apple growers raise concerns in meeting with Hort Dept.

To resolve the pending issues of apple growers and know about the problems being faced by them,  A meeting has been held between Himachal apple growers and senior officials of the…

Southern Hemisphere production of apples up 5.58%

On the occasion of its Annual General Meeting in Fruit Logistica, the World Apple and Pear Association (WAPA) has released the Southern Hemisphere apple and pear crop forecast…

"Belgian Jonagold apples won't ever disappear, but seem to have little use on the export market"

Jonagold apples are struggling. In Belgium, this variety is still, by far, the most popular apple, yet there are reports of more and more Belgian growers uprooting their Jonagold trees. Does the Belgian Jonagold apple still have a future? Asking the experts, Tony Derwael (Bel'Export), Wim Wouters…

Santa Catarina begins the apple harvest – expected yield is 570.800 tons

The largest national apple producer, Santa Catarina expects a crop with fruits of excellent quality and flavor. The official opening of the harvest took place last Friday,…

“Since February, apple prices have started to increase”

The peak of the Turkish apple season is coming up, says Alper Kerim, owner of the Turkish apple exporter Demir Fresh Fruits: “Demand for apples is increasing day by day in India, and as a result we’ll be heading into our peak season for the upcoming three months. We’ve started to promote and market our…

Botswana optimistic about domestic apple production

Farmers in Botswana are looking forward to starting the commercial production of apples, after the introduction of semi-arid varieties of apple trees suitable for local…

Michigan Honeycrisp supplies winding down

Supplies of almost all varieties of apples from Michigan are still ample. “They’re excellent on Gala, Fuji, Reds, Golds and Ambrosia. We had a record crop this year and basically, all the varieties across the board were up,” says Scott Swindeman of Applewood Fresh Growers LLC in Sparta, Michigan. “We had…

February storage apples down 7.3 percent over last year

According to a monthly survey from US Apple, the total number of apples in storage on February 1, 2023 was 103.1 million bushels, 7.3 percent less than last February’s total…

Climate change might cause British apples to die out

In January, the Met Office announced that 2022 had been the sixth warmest year on record, and it looks as if 2023 will be another record-breaker. But though many crops are…

'SA deciduous farmer development at risk due to load shedding'

In the deciduous fruit industry, load shedding is the primary aggravating factor, placing immense pressure on irrigation schedules and costing thousands for sources of backup…