Remarkable
taste
After a bumper crop, the apple season
in 2018 yields smaller fruit, but quality
is fantastic, say producers
The apple
farmers in
South Brazil
harvested
a lush crop
in 2017
The size of the fruit has changed, but
quality continues excellent. In 2017, South
Brazil, responsible for almost the entire ap-
ple crop in Brazil, harvested a bumper crop
of very high quality. In the sequence, the
new cycle is characterized by fruit of small-
er size, a fact that reduces the amount har-
vested, but quality is fantastic, according to
PierreNicolasPérèz, president of theBrazil-
ian Association of Apple Producers (ABPM)
and, therefore, expects to reap positive re-
sults in themarket at home and abroad.
In light of the numbers from the Bra-
zilian Institute of Geography and Statis-
tics (IBGE), an estimate in late 2017 for the
Brazilian apple crop pointed to 1.25 mil-
lion tons. On the other hand, ABPM offi-
cials predicted a crop of upwards of 1.3
million tons for the current season, whilst
for 2018, during the harvest of the Gala
variety, in early February (harvest of the
other relevant variety, Fuji, starts in late
March), the forecast was for a crop of 1.05
million tons, below the recent historical
average of 1.11 million tons.
Weather conditions interfered in the cy-
cle of this year, like frost conditions at fruit
set, excessively cold weather at pollination
and two dry spells in November, which re-
sulted intoa smaller number of fruit and re-
duced volumes, according to ABPM sourc-
es. However, president Pierre stresses that
the quality is very good, with fruit firm, suc-
culent, sweet, appropriate color and crisp-
ness. “Size is the only deficiency, but the
good taste of the fruit is a fact”, he says.
With regard to prices, the perspective
expressed by the official is that they could
becomemore remunerating over the year,
after a period of reduced income, stem-
ming from lush supply. In light of this, and
an expected recovery of the economy, he
maintains that it is possible to go through
the season with optimism. In the realm of
domestic demand, he ascertains that a re-
covery is gradually occurring, though not
yet at the levels achieved some years ago.
In the meantime, the association of the
producers launched the marketing cam-
paign mainly through social media, for
boosting consumption.
With regard to exports, despite small-
er national supply, perspectives for ship-
ments abroad appear favorable because
of such factors as crop shortfall in Europe,
and the removal of embargoes by Rus-
sia and India, and there are great expecta-
tions regarding the latter country. With this
year’s apples smaller in size, but particu-
larly appreciated by Asian consumers, the
president of the ABPM ascertains the trend
for more shipments to the Asian markets.
The leading market, by the way, is located
in Asia, Bangladesh, which accounted for
34%of Brazil’s total apple exports in 2017,
when, due to the availability of bigger vol-
umes, total exports were up 80.6 percent
in volume from the previous year’s ex-
ports, while imports fell nearly 50%.
Inor Ag. Assmann
62
