The Argentinean region of Patagonia, which comprises the major topfruit-producing states of Río Negro and Neuquén, is reportedly on course to produce its biggest crop in seven years.
Production is forecast to reach 1.37m tonnes, of which apples will represent 52 per cent and pears 48 per cent, according to the Patagonian Phytosanitary Foundation (FunBaPa).
Of that total, some 162,895 tonnes of apples and 202,819 tonnes of pears will be exported, with the remainder of the volume headed for the processing industry and the internal market.
The output would translate into a 14.34 per cent increase on last season and could mean a new record for topfruit production in Patagonia during the last seven years, FunBaPa said.
Patagonia mainly ships its apples and pears to Europe, the Mercosur region, Africa, the US and Asia, among other destinations.
For the export market, Patagonia primarily produces Red Delicious, Gala and Granny Smith apples and Williams, Packham’s Triumph, Beurre D’Anjou and Red Bartlett pears, according to figures from FunBaPa.
