English apple growers are harvesting record crops of Gala, Braeburn, Jazz, Kanzi and Cameo this year, English Apples & Pears (EAP) revealed at the official launch of the season this week.
Growers, marketers, retailers and journalists saw in the new season over dinner at the Cabinet War Rooms in London on Tuesday, hosted by EAP chairman Sir Ben Gill and ceo Adrian Barlow. The evening reception came after a hectic day of radio, television and press interviews for EAP, which garnered several hours of live and recorded broadcast time.
Sir Ben said: “We are facing in our world profound and prolonged change… it is very important in changing situations to have integration in the supply chain and to understand one another’s problems.”
Barlow outlined the prospects for the season, pointing to major increases in key new varieties. He said: “Crop tonnage is lower than last year and the lack of summer sunshine has delayed the season by a week compared to last year, but there will be record crops of English Gala - 16 per cent up on last year - Braeburn, Jazz, Kanzi and Cameo.”
But even with great prospects for the upcoming campaign, there was also a word of warning. Barlow said: “In the past, the retailers have given the industry great support, which has increased grower confidence and boosted grower investment. This year, the southern hemisphere season has ended on strong prices… but there is huge competition on the high street. We need everyone in the supply chain to be aware of the massive increase in costs growers are experiencing. Unless the prices paid reflect these cost increases, there will be retrenchment in the grower base. It is up to our marketing organisations and their customers to ensure this does not happen.”
Barlow added that, with late-season availability of Kanzi until May, EAP is considering a season relaunch in the spring next year and also has plans to celebrate the bicentenary of Bramley.
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