In this edition: - The European Fruit Magazine

38
News of the world
SOUTH TYROL:
HIGH PRICES IN 2007
Fruit growers in South Tyrol in Northern
Italy received on average 47.8 cents per
kilo from the cooperative for the 2007
crop of apples. This is reported by the
Raiff aisenverband South Tyrol. The price
paid was 26% higher than the price the
growers received for the 2006 crop. This
is the net price, the costs for storage,
grading and sales do not need to be
deducted anymore. The price has been
calculated for all of the apples supplied
to the cooperative, therefore including
the Class 2 apples. Cripp’s Pink (Pink
Lady) attracted by far the best prices.
The diff erence between this variety and
Golden Delicious and Fuji was more
than 20 cents per kilo.
The apple hectarage and the production
volumes in South Tyrol are still increasing,
while in various other growing
regions in Europe, the hectarage is
reducing.
In 2007, more than 900,000 tonnes of
fruit were sold through the cooperatives.
This is 6.6% more than in the previous
year.
FRANCE:
NETS AGAINST INSECTS
GERMANY:
FEWER AND LARGER
FARMS
The number of fruit farms in the main
fruit growing region of Germany, das
Alte Land in the north, has halved in
fi fteen years. According to the fi ve-yearly
inventory of the hectarage, in 1992
there were 1500 fruit farms in das Alte
Land. In 2007, only 769 remained. The
area covered by fruit in the same period
declined by ‘just’ 734 hectares. In
2007, the fruit region had in total 9,491
hectares of apple, pear, cherry, plum
and damson. As in various other fruit
growing regions, the fruit farms remaining
in das Alte Land are becoming ever
larger. In 1997, the average size of a fruit
farm was 8.15 hectares. Ten years later,
this had grown to 12.15 hectares per
farm. Apple is by far the most important
fruit crop, accounting for 88.1% of the
hectarage, followed by sweet cherry
at 5.7%. Few pears are grown, they account
for just 3.4% of the hectarage.
Plums and damsons account for 2.6%
and sour cherries 0.2%.
The most important apple varieties are
Jonagold and its strains that account for
32.6% of the hectarage, followed by Elstar
at 29.5%. It is striking that Braeburn
has developed into a variety with a 5%
share of the total apple hectarage.
GERMANY:
WORKFORCE NUMBERS
In the German agricultural and horticultural
sectors the number of seasonal
workers from Romania and Bulgaria is
increasing, while the number of Poles,
Croats and Slovaks is falling. According
to the latest statistics from the German
Federal Employment Agency, there
were about 71,000 Romanians working
in agriculture up to the end of July 2009.
This is 30% of the total foreign seasonal
workforce, and 14,700 more than in
2008. At 61% of the total, Polish workers
still form the largest group. In 2008
67% of foreign seasonal workers came
from Poland and 25% from Romania.
The number of workers from Bulgaria
- 2,000 - is not yet very high, but this
number is rising rapidly.
In the south of France, numerous experiments
are underway into the total protection of orchards
from insects using nets. In addition to
the existing hail nets, both apple and plum
orchards are being wrapped in insect nets at
the sides and ends. This prevents insects such
as the codling moth and the oriental fruit moth
(Cydia Molesta) from fl ying in. The latter moth
is also occurring more frequently in apples.
Both organic and conventional growers are
wrapping up their orchards.
When new hail nets are erected, the headland
at the end of the row is also wrapped in, so that
the net does not have to be lifted at the end
of every row when spraying or mowing. For
existing hail nets, several growers have made
a structure that allows the net to be rolled up
over the entire width of the plot.
(Hans Scholten, consultant in France; hansscholten@sfr.fr)
Orchard in the south of France with nets to protect apples from insects.
Photo: Hans Scholten