Polish apple production slumps: price hikes still seem unlikely

摘要

This season's apple crop in Poland, Europe's largest supplier of apple concentrate, is expected to be cut back by 25 percent on last year's record crop. Consequently Poland's production of apple concentrate is predicted to fall dramatically. However, the smaller supplies are not expected to have a serious impact on prices due to the current global over-supply. A report-by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) suggests that poor weather conditions earlier this year will reduce Poland's current 2002/03 apple crop to 2.1 million tonnes. A long dry period during April/May followed by heavy rains at the end of May until June contributed to fungal growth in the orchards. As a result, production of apple concentrate during the 2002/03 season could dropto 170 000 tonnes, compared with 205 000 tonnes last season and 190 000 tonnes in 2000. Some 1.8 million apples were processed during the 2001/02 season, 30 percent higher than the volume expected to be pressed during 2002/03. Nevertheless, the lower forecasts for 2002/03 should be seen against a record apple crop last year of 2.8 million tonnes.