European apricot production is forecast to recover dramatically on last season’s output and outstrip the five-year average while peach and nectarine production should be broadly in line with last season.
According to figures released by stonefruit forecast body Europêch’ at last week’s Medfel conference and exhibition in France, the apricot harvest will rise to 593,600 tonnes, up 21 per cent on last season and 14 per cent on the five-year average.
All the major apricot supply countries - France, Italy, Spain and Greece - have forecast increases.
Earlier in the growing period, producers were worried there were insufficient cold units for fruit development and that the late cold spell might hit output. However, those early fears seem unfounded as trees in Murcia, the Rhône Valley and the Italian growing regions all look to be producing at close to maximum output.
Italy and Spain are starting to follow the French model of orchard renewal and planting new varieties. However, in Spain this is happening at a slower rate than the grubbing of older plantations and in France new plantings look to have slowed this season as growers have received disappointing returns in recent seasons.
The peach and nectarine harvest is forecast to reach some 3mt in line with last season and seven per cent up on the five-year average. Early varieties from Spain usually harvesting this month, were hit by late frost and so their volumes have been reduced. Production of later varieties in Spain as well as in France and Italy was not affected.
Producers are in agreement that they need a good season this year on price in order to survive long term after a disappointing campaign in 2011 despite no oversupply or quality problems.
