Romania apple crop up 50%

After a difficult 2017, Romania’s fruit production is expected to recover in 2018, with forecasts of a 50% increase from 2017, thanks to favourable weather conditions. Despite the good harvest, imports are forecast to rise this year to meet increasing domestic demand for fresh fruit, according to the country’s National Institute of Statistics. In 2017, total fruit production dropped by 15% to 1.1 million tons as a result of adverse weather conditions. Production area also declined, to around 137,500 ha. Romania’s number-one fruit is plum (42%), followed by apples (33%), and cherries and pears (4.6%). The country’s orchards are old with relatively low productivity levels. A renewal process is currently underway. Although Romania has the second largest apple production area in the EU, it is only the seventh largest in terms of volumes, due to low yields. The most produced apple varieties are Jonathan (50%) and Golden Delicious (20%). One-third of the production goes to processing.