Report: EU apple, pear output dips

2023 European apple production is off by more than 3% compared with last season.

That is the view of the World Apple and Pear Association, according to a report from the USDA Foreign Agricultural Association.

WAPA forecasts the 2023 EU fresh apples crop at 11.4 million metric tons, 3.3% below the 2022 harvest. The reduction is a result of poor pollination and droughts, according to the group.

Production of fresh pears is forecast at 1.7 million metric tons, a drop of 12.8% compared with last season. The drop in pear output is largely a result of weather-related reductions in Italy, France, and Greece, according to the group.

Apple trends

The report identified trends in EU apple output:

• EU apple acreage is declining but yields per acre are trending upward.
• Poland has the largest share of apple production area in the EU with 31% of EU commercial apple acreage, followed by France, Italy and Romania with 11%.
• The mild winter in many growing regions led to poor pollination.
• Drought and/or high temperatures affected large parts of the EU at different times of the year. Portugal and Spain experienced a severe drought in spring, while the northern and northeastern EU suffered from lack of rain in June/July, according to the report.
• Organic production is forecast to decrease to 683,000 metric tons, compared with 722,000 metric tons in 2022, taking the share of organic at total EU apple production to 6% in 2023, down slightly from 6.1% in 2022. This is well below the 25% goal for organic that the EU has set itself for 2030, making it highly unlikely that this goal will be achieved.
• Industry expects 60% of production will be consumed fresh, while 40% will be processed.
• Production costs have increased because of higher costs for inputs such as energy, fertilizers, plant protection products, labor and logistics.
• The EU sustainable use of pesticide regulation will impact farmers' ability to protect their orchards against pests and diseases.

Among the positive factors for the European apple outlook, the report said that end-of-the-marketing-year apple stocks are lower than in the previous season. In addition, imports from overseas from January through July 2023 were 30% lower than in 2022.

Another bright point is that India will potentially increase its imports from the EU as its own apple production is forecast 30% lower than in 2022.

Negative factors in the outlook include the fact that consumer spending on food is still a constraint as higher energy costs and inflation reduce food budgets. High production costs, and elevated costs for energy and logistics, are also negative for European apple growers, according to the report.