Catalonia is anticipating a lighter topfruit crop this season, with apple volumes projected to fall by 1 per cent and pears down 8 per cent following heavy rains and hailstorms during the spring affecting blossoming and fruitset.
According to the latest estimates from Afrucat, this would give a production of volume of 273,970 tonnes in apples and 139,420 tonnes in pears for 2018/19.
Harvested is expected to be delayed by around five to 10 days, the association said.
Joan Serentill, president of the topfruit working group at Afrucat, highlighted his concern for the constant and historical decline of pear production in Lleida, insisting that new strategies were needed to restore the sector’s profitability.
Manel Simon, Afrucat’s managing director, noted that the figures should be taken in the context of the indications of the first forecasts on European apple and pear production and the fact that Catalan topfruit and stonefruit stocks were running at virtually zero.
Initial estimates suggested that there had been a widespread recovery in production in Europe and in China, however recent inclement weather is expected to take its toll on the crop in Poland and China.
In light of this, and the fact that Belgium and the Netherlands have yet to publish their forecasts for the forthcoming season, Afrucat said it was difficult to predict how the new season would develop.
