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   Eur.J.Hortic.Sci. 87 (6) 1-22 | DOI: 10.17660/eJHS.2022/059
ISSN 1611-4426 print and 1611-4434 online | © ISHS 2022 | European Journal of Horticultural Science | Original article
Apple production and apple value chains in Europe

A. Muder1, H. Garming1, S. Dreisiebner-Lanz2, K. Kerngast2, F. Rosner3, K. Kličková4, G. Kurthy5, K. Cimer5, A. Bertazzoli6, V. Altamura7, G. De Ros8, K. Zmarlicki9, M. de Belém Costa Freitas10, A. Duarte10, E. Bravin11, J. Kambor11, D. Karamürsel12, F. Pınar Öztürk12 and E. Kaçal12
1 Thünen-Institute of Farm Economics, Braunschweig, Germany
2 Joanneum Research Forschungsgesellschaft mbH, LIFE – Institute for Climate, Energy and Society, Graz, Austria
3 Höhere Bundeslehranstalt und Bundesamt für Wein- und Obstbau Klosterneuburg, Klosterneuburg, Austria
4 Institute of Agricultural Economics and Information, Praha, Czech Republic
5 Institute for Agricultural Economics, Budapest, Hungary
6 DISTAL – University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
7 Crop Production Research Centre (C.R.P.V.), Cesena, Italy
8 Technology Transfer Centre; Fondazione Edmund Mach (FEM), San Michele all'Adige, Italy
9 Instytut Ogrodnictwa - PIB / The National Institute for Horticultural Research, Skierniewice, Poland
10 Algarve University, MED - Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, Faro, Portugal
11 Agroscope, Wädenswil, Switzerland
12 Fruit Research Institute, Eğirdir/Isparta, Turkey

SUMMARY
This paper presents an overview of the apple sector in nine major apple producing countries in Europe, in order to assess factors for the competitiveness of the national apple value chains and identify challenges for the future development of the sector. Based on international and national statistical data and expert assessment, key characteristics of apple production and value chains are analyzed. For each country, a brief description of the development of apple production and acreage over the past ten years, farm size distribution, level of production technology and main market channels is presented, followed by a discussion of differences and similarities. Results show a diverse picture of the apple sector in Europe. Similarities are observed in the existence of regional production clusters and a generally small farm size. Differences are found in the technology level, with a broad range of very traditional extensive production systems up to highly intensified orchards with high tree density. All countries experienced high fluctuation in apple production quantities over the past years, mainly due to weather events, particularly spring frost and drought, and climate risks are expected to increase in the future, leading to increasing costs for mitigation measures.

Keywords competitiveness, economics of horticulture, farm structures, fruit production, international trade flows, production systems

Significance of this study

What is already known on this subject?

  • There is a research gap concerning comparable and systematic analyses of the farm structures and value chains of the apple sector in major European producing countries.
What are the new findings?
  • The study finds diverse apple farm structures and value chains in the study countries, and identifies framework conditions that are major drivers of the development of the sector. While climate change is a common challenge for apple production in all study countries, the technology level, market conditions and public support to the sector differ largely, leading to specific challenges for the national apple sectors.
What is the expected impact on horticulture?
  • Understanding farm structures and market characteristics of the apple sector forms an important base for further investigations concerning economic analysis, climate change impact and competitiveness assessment of the sector. This basic research is highly needed for further economic in-depth analysis.

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E-mail: anika.muder@thuenen.de  

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Received: 12 January 2022 | Accepted: 22 July 2022 | Published: 12 December 2022 | Available online: 12 December 2022

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