Apple prices will remain high in the 2024/25 season as production falls in the EU, Ukraine and Moldova, EastFruit reports, UNN writes.
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"Apple prices will remain high in the new 2024/25 season, and exporters of quality fruit and apple concentrate will once again be in favor," the publication reports, citing data from the World Apple and Pear Association (WAPA).
The apple harvest in the key 20 EU countries in 2024 is reportedly not only expected to fall by 11% compared to the already low production level of the previous year (10.2 million tons vs. 11.5 million tons), but also to be 14% lower than the average for the last three years.
A decline in harvest is expected in most producing countries, including France (-3%), Italy (-1%), and the Netherlands (-1%). The largest losses will be incurred by apple producers in Belgium (-34%), Romania (-15%) and Poland (-20%).
"For apple producers from Moldova and Ukraine, this means much less competition with Polish apples in Europe and the Middle East, as well as some additional opportunities on the Romanian market. Of course, only those producers will be able to take advantage of these opportunities who can still provide an export-quality supply of apples, which may be a problem in both countries," the publication points out.
For example, in Moldova, according to WAPA, production in 2024 will decline by 14% to only 450 thousand tons, and in Ukraine, according to EastFruit, the apple harvest will also be lower than last year due to unfavorable weather conditions in the spring and summer of this year.