The starting signal for this year’s apple harvest has fallen! A harvest of 148,000 tons is expected. What problems Styrian farmers master – and what difference five apples make.
The delicious Gala is still the most popular apple in Styria – while other traditional varieties, such as the Gloster, are slowly disappearing into obscurity. Because other varieties are more resistant to heat, drought or pests, taste sweeter and the preference of the Styrians has developed in this direction. And probably also because names like Kanzi, Jazz, Tessa or SweeTango sound more exotic than Jonathan & Co. On the Knaller family’s beautiful farm in Eastern Styria, which also produces apple frizzante or schnapps, the starting signal for this year’s harvest was given today. It is forecast at 148,000 tons – which is about average. Pressure on the market is becoming increasingly brutal The less good news: The production costs for local farmers have risen to 65 cents per kilo due to known problems such as rising energy and fertilizer prices; they get an average of 45 cents on the market! And: The number of harvest workers (4,000 are needed) is decreasing (even those from the Ukraine are largely absent) – but the pressure on the market is more brutal. 1,050 Styrian farmers grow apples, and there are around 1,900 in all of Austria. The orchard area is 9,500 hectares, which has shrunk by a fifth in the past five years. 70% of Austrian apple production is in Styria. On average, every Styrian eats 114 apples (about 19 kilos) per year, which makes apples the most popular fruit. Twelve million tons of apples will be produced on the European market this year – and it gets tight from ten million tons. The Poles in particular are pushing ahead. Here, according to the experts from the Chamber of Agriculture, yield is destroyed even with EU funding. While in other countries, more money is spent on water reservoirs, which is considered to distort competition. Every Styrian eats 114 apples a year, but the customer has a lot in his hand. On average, every Styrian eats 114 apples per year. If everyone were to nibble on just five more, the Styrian producers would have a great glimmer of hope.
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