Investment in the future of English Royal Gala apples could rise over the next few years after growers showed positive signs over financial returns.
The last two years have seen producers of the top fruit receive moderate returns that some believe could not cover re-investment in the crop, but there are signs this may change.
A meeting of the Gala Club at Newmafruit’s Howfield Farm near Canterbury last week found growers positive returns for fruit would be good with summer prices strong and no southern hemisphere overhang to create worries of oversupply. The crop in mainland Europe is also expected to be low, giving further strength to apple sellers.
Prices for the four weeks to 12 July were £1.70 on average as opposed to £1.58 in the corresponding 2009 period, according to Kantar Worldpanel data.
It is expected this year’s English crop will contain 25,300 tonnes of Class 1 fruit, 10 per cent up on last year with fruit size down marginally on average.
However, it has been suggested that growth in the Royal Gala market, which has increased consistently year on year for some time, may have plateaued. The category grew to 25 per cent of the market in 2009, dropping to 24.5 per cent this year.
English Apples & Pears chief executive Adrian Barlow said: “There is limited potential for taking more share of the market but there is enormous potential for Gala to grow and consumption to go up. We have got every indication that the UK population will continue to rise and there is still potential to replace imports. The goal is to double UK production of Gala and completely replace imports.”
The Royal Gala season has been extended considerably in recent years with production tailing off from mid-April onwards, as opposed to the middle of February as was previously the case.
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