The fresh market for Bramley apples could face shortage mid-summer as stored supplies of the 2003 crop are being bought in significant volume by the processing sector.
The warning comes from Adrian Barlow of English Apples & Pears at the mid-point in the season.
"The level of stocks of Bramley in stores is very similar to this time last year," Barlow told freshinfo. "But Northern Ireland saw a very small harvest in 2003: only about a quarter of that of 2001. The majority of that fruit goes to processing, but the shortfall is having a direct impact on the volume of Bramley available [for the fresh market]."
The English harvest totalled some 52,000 tonnes, described by Barlow as "reasonable, but not large". But high temperatures over the summer took their toll on some of the crop. "The conditions caused some production early in the season to require rapid marketing and that means that the volume available today is not as much as we would like," said Barlow.
"The fresh market is facing considerable shortages mid-summer as the processors have bought in significant volumes. Some were so worried early in the season that they even imported other varieties early to blend with Bramley to fulfil their requirements."
Growers and marketing organisations are therefore trying to ensure that stocks for the fresh market are made available on a controlled basis in order to ensure continuity of supply until the 2004 crop is on stream.
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