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Italy, VOG confirms apple harvest at 540,000 tons
Italy
Tuesday 06 November 2007
A cool but nevertheless dry and sunny autumn has contributed to an impressive apple harvest in the South Tyrol region: excellent apple size and taste with good colour. In all, 540,000 tons of apples will be stocked this year by VOG, the South Tyrol apple growers’ consortium. With the final crops of Pink Lady yet to be harvested, the consortium is set to close out the harvest season with a yield almost on the same levels as of 2006.
Volumes of Golden Delicious, the variety most widely grown by the 21 cooperative members of VOG, are almost in line with those of last year (-1.7% on 2006); the first cool spells of autumn have also favoured the appearance of the typical “red blush” colour on skins.
The Royal Gala harvest is similarly excellent, recording a volume increase of 13%, despite slightly smaller size of apples compared to last season. Meanwhile, smaller volumes of Red Chief and Starking varieties (-7% on 2006) have been compensated by larger apple sizes. The same goes for Fuji and Granny Smith, which respectively recorded a -6% and -3% drop in volumes compared to last year.
“The indications we have been receiving from the various production areas around Europe - affirmed Gerhard Dichgans, director of VOG - adjust the forecasts issued at the start of August, which underestimated the harvests in Germany and northern Europe. Meanwhile the apple harvest in Poland and other Eastern Europe Countries has been halved because of the spring frosts.” As regards the Italian market, Gerhard Dichgans added: “In Italy the competition is more intense, especially given the abundance of the high-calibre mountain Golden variety, which last year was in short supply”.
Volumes of Golden Delicious, the variety most widely grown by the 21 cooperative members of VOG, are almost in line with those of last year (-1.7% on 2006); the first cool spells of autumn have also favoured the appearance of the typical “red blush” colour on skins.
The Royal Gala harvest is similarly excellent, recording a volume increase of 13%, despite slightly smaller size of apples compared to last season. Meanwhile, smaller volumes of Red Chief and Starking varieties (-7% on 2006) have been compensated by larger apple sizes. The same goes for Fuji and Granny Smith, which respectively recorded a -6% and -3% drop in volumes compared to last year.
“The indications we have been receiving from the various production areas around Europe - affirmed Gerhard Dichgans, director of VOG - adjust the forecasts issued at the start of August, which underestimated the harvests in Germany and northern Europe. Meanwhile the apple harvest in Poland and other Eastern Europe Countries has been halved because of the spring frosts.” As regards the Italian market, Gerhard Dichgans added: “In Italy the competition is more intense, especially given the abundance of the high-calibre mountain Golden variety, which last year was in short supply”.
