Argentina is anticipating a 4.36 per cent decrease in its apple and pear production in the country’s southern regions of Río Negro and Neuquén areas – the principal topfruit-growing areas.
The apple crop is forecast to fall 10.01 per cent to 862,090 tonnes, while pears will decline by 3.22 per cent to 736,949 tonnes, according to estimates provided by the Comahue University’s Agrarian Science department and the Río Negro Fruit Industry Secretary.
Río Negro remains the leading topfruit production zone in Argentina, where total topfruit production is expected to represent 1.4m tonnes in 2012.
Of that total, apple volume will fall by 6.45 per cent, while pear output (mainly Williams, Packham’s and D’Anjou) will rise by 6 per cent.
Neighbouring Neuquén, meanwhile, will account for to 157,455 tonnes, with a 32 per cent decrease in apples and an 18.76 contraction in pears.
In terms of sizes, the industry anticipates a marked improvement in apple sizes, while in the pear category the Packham’s crop will show a light decrease in size – a trend which will be more marked for the Williams variety in comparison to last year.
The full report will be published in the February issue of Eurofruit Magazine. For details of how to subscribe, visit: fruitnet.com/subscribe
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