European apple and pear harvest lower than last year

The Dutch Fruit Growers Organization (NFO) reports that the apple harvest in the EU is clearly lower than the average of the past ten years. The expected EU pear harvest is the second smallest in the past decade. According to NFO, the figures do offer perspective for the coming sales season. During the announcement of the harvest forecast figures at the Prognosfruit congress, production per variety and country was discussed. For example, the estimated EU production of Elstar apples is 269,000 tons. That is 21 percent less than last year. This is mainly due to the lower estimates in Germany and the Netherlands. With 82,000 tons of Elstar, the forecast in the Netherlands is 8 percent smaller than that of 2022 and one of the smallest in the last decade. The amount of Jonagold in the EU is estimated at 961,000 tons. That is 9 percent less than last year. Then production amounted to 1.1 million tons. Production is at the average of the last ten years. Within the Jonagold group, Red ...