A significant decline is expected in this year’s apple harvest in Hungary

By: Trademagazin Date: 2024. 09. 02. 11:34

This year, the amount of the domestic apple harvest may decrease significantly, about 150,000 tons less apples can be harvested than last year, Népszava reports, based on the summary of the National Chamber of Agrarian Economy (NAK) and the Hungarian Vegetable and Fruit Association (FruitVeB). According to forecasts, the amount of food grade apples may be around 90-100 thousand tons, while 220-240 thousand tons of industrial apples can be harvested. This quantity will not be sufficient to meet domestic consumption either.

The purchase price of juice apples has risen significantly, currently hovering around HUF 75-80 per kilo, which is almost double last year’s price. The price of edible apples can also be expected to increase, a 25-35 percent increase in producer prices is expected. A similar trend can be observed in the European Union, where instead of the predicted 11.5 million tons, only 10.2 million tons of apples will be produced this year.

However, the plum and peach harvest promises good prospects. Depending on the variety, the price of plums ranges from HUF 350 to HUF 420, while in Budapest markets it is available for HUF 600 to HUF 700. The peach crop has not been affected by frost damage, and according to FruitVeB, there is no precise forecast yet regarding the expected quantity.

The decline in the apple harvest poses a significant challenge to the domestic market, especially in the area of industrial apples, the quantity of which is expected to be insufficient to satisfy domestic needs. Due to rising prices and falling yields, consumers can also expect price increases.