As the first English Discovery hits the market, seasonal estimates indicate that declining production of the variety may leave a gap in English apple availability in August.
The latest forecast by Adrian Barlow, chief executive of English Apples & Pears shows that only some 2,000 tonnes will be available. Uneven growing conditions and a June drop that lasted for up to two months in some orchards as well as hail damage in Kent last month have had an effect. However, fruit quality on the tree is reportedly good.
Significantly though, the national Discovery orchard is down to 264 hectares, half the figure of five years ago. "Growers are grafting over so the total national fruit acreage has not dropped," says Barlow.
What does concern him long term is that an early English presence on retail shelves will diminish. In an appeal to fruit breeders he added: "It will be a great pity as an industry if we cannot find an early variety that can provide high quality and retain its flavour for this period."
One bright note is that Early Windsor volumes this year are 35 per cent up reaching 800 tonnes.
Full European crop estimates are being presented at Prognosfruit this week in Poland.
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