A report released last week from the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Global Agricultural Information Network has forecast a drop in Australia’s overall production volumes and exports for both apples and pears.
The Fresh Deciduous Fruit Report 2009 from the USDA’s Canberra post pointed to ongoing concerns about water availability, poor pollination in the second half of 2009 and a the high Australian dollar as causes for the declines.
Averaging the numbers over the last several season, the report stated that overall apple tree numbers were dropping, but trees per hectare was increasing significantly as older orchards were replaced with modern high-density planting.
The report forecast 2010 apple production at 275,000 tonnes, down from the ten-year average of 305,000 tonnes.
Leading the drop over the last few seasons was the Granny Smith variety, which was steadily being replaced by Cripps Pink (Pink Lady) and Gala varieties.
Calendar year 2010 apple exports were expected to hit 3,200 tonnes, down from 2009’s 4,200 tonnes.
For pears, production for 2010 was pegged at 105,000 tonnes, a decline from 2009’s 125,000 tonnes and the lowest in a decade.
Exporters were forecast at 5,000 tonnes, down from 6,300 tonnes last year. Meanwhile, pear imports were expected to rise.
