Delegation from Poma de Girona PGI visits Washington on learning mission

Members of the Poma de Girona PGI last week sent a technical delegation to the state of Washington (US) to see first-hand the new systems and production techniques implemented used for apple production. The visit included tours of orchards in Wenatchee, Lake Chelan, the Columbia Basin and Yakima. These plantations have implemented the use of robots for harvesting to resolve the labour shortages.

Other innovations include new apple varieties, new pruning and tree formation systems, and new rootstocks under development. A visit to the manufacturing plants showed how the new technologies are applied, especially in the field of logistics and automated warehouses.

Poma de Girona is a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) grouping three apple suppliers: Girona Fruits SCCL (Bordils), Giropoma Costa Brava (Ullà) and Fructícola Empordà (Sant Pere Pescador). Poma de Girona PGI has 79 producing partners that represent a total of 1,700 productive hectares distributed in Baix Empordà, Alt Empordà, La Selva and Gironès. Poma de Girona cultivates four varieties: Gala, Golden, Red Delicious and Granny Smith.