Germany: Important changes in apple varieties since 2017

From 2017 to 2022, the quotas for the apple varieties have changed significantly. Since the 2017 census, the total acreage has decreased by 1.45% and 9.2% of German fruit farms have ceased their activity. Apples remain the most widely planted fruit trees, accounting for 67% of the total area, followed by cherries, plums and pears. The acreage of nuts is insignificant but increasing. In terms of area, apples are by far the most important deciduous tree species in Germany, accounting for about two thirds (33,106 ha) of the total area of German deciduous trees. They are followed in acreage by cherries (5,736 hectares), plums (4,139 hectares), pears (2,069 hectares), morels (1,567 hectares) and walnuts (734 hectares). Between 2017 and 2022, the reported figures show a 2.6% decrease in the total apple acreage and significant changes in the share of the different varieties. The 2022 survey reports 78 different apple varieties currently grown in Germany. Most of these ...