Satisfactory Apple Harvest and Growing Pear Production Mark the 2024 French Campaign Amid Challenges in Production Costs and European Market Deficits
The 2024 harvest season in France brings mixed results for apples and pears, with satisfactory outcomes despite ongoing challenges. The annual French apple-pear campaign, presented on August 28th in Paris, highlighted both the successes and hurdles faced by the sector, including producers, wholesalers, distributors, and manufacturers.
Apple Harvest: Stable but Not Reaching Full Potential
This year’s apple harvest in France is considered “satisfactory without being excessive,” according to Vincent Guérin, head of economic affairs at the National Association of Apples and Pears (ANPP). The 2024 harvest stands at 1.463 million tons, slightly down from the 1.508 million tons in 2023. While the yield is close to average, it fell short of reaching its full potential.
International apple varieties saw a decline to 859,000 tons, a 10% drop from last year. Notably, the Granny Smith and Fuji varieties experienced significant decreases, with production down by 26.3% and 27% respectively. On the other hand, the Club and Terroir varieties, such as Jazz and Chantecler, showed growth, with Jazz production increasing by 16%. The Pink Lady variety also saw a slight decline, harvesting 164,000 tons, 5% less than in 2023.
While France’s apple volumes are robust, the European apple harvest faces a historic deficit, with 10.2 million tons expected for 2024—1.3 million tons less than the previous year. This shortfall is largely due to adverse weather conditions in Eastern Europe, particularly in Poland. Despite the heavy apple stocks in July, the situation is not considered alarming.
On the export front, France has seen more dynamic sales, with an increase of 25,000 tons compared to last year. France has regained market share within the EU, notably in the UK, but has seen a decline in exports to the Far and Middle East. South America, however, has emerged as a promising market with increasing volumes.
Pear Harvest: Growth Driven by Summer and New Varieties
The 2024 pear harvest in France shows growth, with a forecast of 119,000 tons, up from 104,000 tons in 2023. While this increase is promising, it still falls short of the average harvest potential of 132,000 tons and the 150,000 tons seen in peak years.
The growth is attributed to an abundance of summer varieties like Guyot, which saw a 61% increase to 27,000 tons, and the Williams variety. However, autumn and winter pear varieties, particularly Conference pears, are in short supply across Europe, contributing to a “second smallest crop of the decade.”
Challenges in Production Costs and Market Dynamics
Despite the promising harvest, French apple and pear producers face significant challenges, particularly in terms of production costs. According to ANPP President Daniel Sauvaitre, the prices paid to producers must increase by an average of €0.10/kg [0.11 USD/kg] to offset the inflation in production costs over the past two years. The rising costs have made this year’s apple production the most expensive on record.
The campaign launch also served as a platform for the ANPP to address supermarket chains, urging them to avoid promotional actions and excessive margins that could harm both producers and consumers. The message is clear: fair pricing is essential to ensure the sustainability of orchards and protect consumer interests.
