European apple and pear crops to contract slightly 

At the 2023 edition of Prognosfruit, the international reference event for apples and pears, held in Val di Non, Italy, the latest forecasts for the coming campaign were announced. Production estimates for 2023 in the EU are for a 3% contraction in the apple harvest to 11.41m tons, but exactly in line with the average production of the last three years.

High temperatures combined with a persistent lack of water have reduced fruit development. An 11% production drop is expected in Poland, while in other producing countries the harvest will decrease from last year as follows: Austria (-26%), Belgium (-15%), Germany (-11%), Holland (-12%) and Greece (-34%). By contrast, France expects an 8% larger harvest, while Spain predicts a 30% higher yield and Portugal a rise of 7%.