US growers are bouncing back stronger than ever from the problems with morpholine that dogged apple exports to the UK last season.
Exports from New York state to Europe dropped from 293,000 cases in the 2009-10 campaign to 142,000 cases in a disrupted 2010-11 as the European Commission decided last October to uphold a UK-led effective ban on the import of any apples that contained traces of the amine morpholine, which was present in the most widely applied wax used on US Empire apples.
“Morpholine was, of course, a serious issue for our industry and could not have hit at a more difficult time last season,” said Jim Allen, president of the New York Apple Association. “However, all of our shippers to Europe have found a way to address that issue... I think time will prove that we were far better being hit with the issue when we were and dealing with it there and then, rather than if it had arisen at the end of a season.
“Dealing with the need to remove all traces of morpholine from the chain has required better co-ordination, tighter management practices and an improved structure between shippers, exporters and importers. We showed beyond doubt that our industry is capable of stepping up to the mark and that experience will lead this year to a more streamlined, effective programme for our customers in Europe.”
New York finished the season strongly with UK retailers stocking Empire well into July.
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