Apricot production is due to fall across Europe this summer, with initial crop forecasts indicating a nine per cent dip in volumes from 2007.
The figures, released at stonefruit industry conference Europêch’, which celebrated its 20th anniversary last week, reveal apricot production is set to stand at around 423, 612 tonnes - down from 467,969t last year, and down from an average 2002-06 production of 524,192t. That signals a fall of nine per cent from last year, and of 19 per cent from the preceding five years’ average.
Italy is set to produce 177,580t, France 89,052t, Spain 78,710t and Greece 78,000t.
However, peach, nectarine and clingstone peach volumes from the four countries are set to be relatively stable compared to last year. Total European volumes are expected to reach 2.78 million tonnes, compared to 2.82mt last year - just a one per cent volume decrease. However, compared to average production from 2002 to 2006, there is just a small drop in volume of 6,019t.
Italy is set to grow some 1.46mt of peach, nectarine and clingstone peach this year, followed by Spain at 692,110t, Greece with 342,000t and France with 287,483t.
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