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Apple and pear sector calls for stability and coherent poliies
The Prognosfruit conference of last August 7th was an opportunity for industry leaders to reiterate that predictability and stability are critical to maintaining competitiveness.
As the EU continues to shape the future of its Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), apple and pear growers are increasingly concerned about proposed budget cuts for the upcoming EU Multi-Financial Framework 2028-2034. It supposes a decentralization of core responsibilities towards more subsidiarity granted to member states, dismantling the basic principles of a common agricultural policy. These shifts could hinder the ability of European apple and pear growers to tackle shared challenges efficiently.
Simplification and harmonization will help competitiveness
Luc Vanoirbeek, chair of the fruit and vegetables working party at COPA-COGECA, emphasized: “Simplification and competitiveness could be fostered in many ways, from reducing red tape to harmonizing tools like environmental footprint assessments and moving toward pan-European authorization of plant protection substances. These steps are essential to support growers. There will be no food without agriculture. Policymakers must recognize that fruit and vegetables, including apples and pears, are central to their ambition to reach food security, improve food sovereignty, respond to sustainability and climate challenges, improve rural livelihoods, and deliver top nutritional value with minimal environmental impact.”
Apples and pears: strategic crops for Europe’s future
With a combined business value of over €10 billion, apples and pears are not only key economic drivers but also essential to environmental and social sustainability. At Prognosfruit 2025, the sector renewed its call for policy clarity, access to modern agricultural tools, and an end to the negative discourse around the responsible use of plant protection products. To ensure future success, industry leaders urged EU institutions to help create a coherent and business-friendly environment to stimulate consumption and maintain the sector’s strength in both domestic and international markets. Daniel Sauvaitre, President of ANPP, concluded: “We are pleased to have hosted the 50th edition of Prognosfruit in Angers this year. The event is taking place at a pivotal moment for the future of the apples and pears sector. In times of global uncertainties, European apple and pear growers need more visibility and more Europe. The reinforced move towards more subsidiarity is in opposition and incoherent with the ambition of European decision markets for more simplification and competitiveness. Common rules for packaging, for plant protection products authorisation, or export protocols are basic principles that could solve many of the current concerns on competitiveness and confidence that are today in jeopardy.”
International leaders
Growers in Europe and around the world all face the same challenges. The gathering of Prognosfruit in Angers, organized by WAPA and ANPP, assembled more than 230 representatives from 23 nations around the world. It allowed a very constructive, and positive exchange among European apples and pears leaders, with key representatives from the EU neighborhood (UK, Turkey, Serbia, Moldova, Ukraine) as well as China, United States, and the Southern Hemisphere.
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