Apple production is subject to considerable fluctuations worldwide due to the strong correlation of the apple harvest with the weather. It ranges from 70 to over 90 million tonnes. For the 2020/2021 season, the USDA has estimated the world apple harvest at around 76 million tonnes. Of which Europe accounts for around 12 million tonnes. China remains the world's biggest apple producer (estimates for 2020/2021 are 40.5 million tonnes, in good years the Chinese harvest exceeds 45 million tonnes). In the USA, production is expected to reach 4.6 million tonnes and in Turkey 4.3 million tonnes.

Fresh apples wholesale prices

Fresh apples in Poland - Fresh-market quotation

Apple prices in packing houses/processing plants

Apple retail prices in supermarkets

Apples are the fruit of the trees of the domestic apple species. Over thousands of years of breeding, hundreds of varieties and sports of this species have been created. In Poland, nurseries offer for sale around 180 varieties of apple trees.

In Poland, the most popular dessert apples include: Golden Delicious, Gala, Red Jonaprince, Šampion, Ligol, Jonagold, Jonagored, Mutsu and completely almost specific to Poland compared to Western Europe - Idared. Among early varieties, which come to the domestic market in June, the leaders are. Early Geneva, Paulared and Piros and a little later Cortland and Lobo. Of the culinary varieties, Szara Reneta is the most popular, along with Boskoop.

Apples are eaten raw and have a huge variety of culinary uses. Fresh apples, like many fruits, are primarily a source of carbohydrates, including fibre. They also contain many water-soluble vitamins, but also vitamins and provitamins of fat-soluble vitamins (although not many). Apples also contain pectin.

There are many culinary applications of apples, also in Polish cuisine. For many of them specific varieties are used (e.g. sour apple for apple pie). In addition, apples, the so-called industrial apples, are used to produce apple juice concentrate and pressed apple juices and to make cider.

Poland is one of the world's leading apple producers and the largest in Europe. The Central Statistical Office estimates that Poland's apple production for the 2020/2021 season will reach 3.8 million tonnes. In the EU, Poland's main competitors in this field are Italy with a harvest of 2.1 million tonnes (WAPA estimates for the 2020/2021 season).

Poland is an important global player both in terms of dessert apples as well as industrial apples and apple juice concentrate production. Exports of fresh apples from Poland in 2020 amounted to 657 thousand tonnes and PLN 1.3 billion. The main buyers of Polish apples last year were Belarus (122 thousand tonnes), Germany (76 thousand tonnes) and Egypt (75 thousand tonnes). For political reasons, Russia, previously the largest buyer of Polish apples, has not bought Polish apples since 2014. A country that, despite the intensive development of orcharding in recent years, remained the largest importer of apples in the world (over 800 thousand tonnes per season).

As for the prices of apples on the Polish market, the purchase prices of dessert apples are strongly correlated with varieties. The purchase prices of the most popular varieties (Golden Delicious, Gala, Red Jonaprince) are at the beginning of March 2021 at 1.40-1.90 PLN/kg (depending also on the size). Idared or Gloster apples were bought at the beginning of March 2021 at 0.90-1.10 zł/kg. Export sales prices in the first part of the 20202021 season had an average level of 1.86 PLN/kg (December 2020). Industrial apple purchase prices, depending on raw material category, ranged (March 20201) from 0.40 PLN/kg (regular industry) through 0.55-0.60 PLN/kg (dry industry) to 0.70-00.75 PLN/kg (dry industry Golden Delicious).

The natural ripening of apples usually takes place from the end of August to mid-October, while the apple trade usually lasts all year round: for this reason also the wholesale of apples and the import/export of apples are very profitable markets; in fact, the natural preservation of the fruit varies greatly from one variety to another. However, due to the high organic acid content, storage can last from one to four months. Therefore, the fruit can always be put up for sale at the fruit and vegetable market. For the industrial storage and processing of apples, the physical conditions are important: in fact, apples must be stored at a temperature of between 1.0 and 3.5° C after harvesting and the humidity must be kept at between 59%. i 68%. For longer warehouses, controlled-atmosphere cold stores are needed, where apples are stored until they are ready for the fruit and vegetable trade and thus for wholesale, apple importers, apple exporters and certified apple farms. The apple has great antioxidant properties and contains important vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamins B1, B2, B6, E and C, niacin and folic acid, as well as flavonoids and carotenoids, which also have antioxidant effects.
Apples are used in all sectors, from fruit and vegetables to cosmetics: they are mainly used for table consumption, which can be immediate or by preparing tasty recipes. However, the apple is also suitable for other countless purposes: industrial-scale distribution through apple wholesalers, apple importers and exporters, and certified fruit and vegetable farms distributing and processing apples for various purposes. ; consumption of table apples and cosmetic use for the production of beauty creams. The industrial use of apples concerns the production, distribution and sale of apples, especially for the confectionery industry, for which many apples of the varieties Golden delicious, Rome Beauty, 'Costa's Trade', 'Imperatore' and 'Blanche Neve' are suitable.Apples are also used for apple juice, cider, apple kernel oil (obtained as a by-product of apple juice and cider production and often used in Northern European countries), distilled alcohol and fermented products.The apple label is essential as it ensures compliance with strict standards on chemical use; it is good practice to look out for the increasingly common organic apples or apples with well-known trademarks, while it is better to avoid 'anonymous' apples, especially considering out-of-season apple varieties.The apple is a true natural remedy and an effective ally in the prevention of pathologies and disorders, since it is free of fats and proteins and provides few sugars (10g per 100g of fruit) and calories (on average 40g per 100g of apple) ). On the other hand, apples are rich in mineral salts and B vitamins, which are good for the intestinal mucosa and mouth, combat nail and hair depletion and help overcome fatigue and lack of appetite. Citric acid and malic acid, also present in this fruit, contribute to the health of the body by facilitating digestion and keeping the acidity of the digestive tract unchanged. However, the advantages of the apple are not endless: the apple is in fact the most suitable fruit for diabetics because it contains fructose, which is metabolised without insulin, and a percentage of fibre, including pectin, a substance which helps maintain glycaemic control by slowing down the absorption of sugar. The apple also helps you breathe better thanks to vitamin C; it fights bad cholesterol (LDL) and, thanks to pectin, supports so-called "good" cholesterol (HDL).It also prevents cardiovascular diseases and cancer, thanks to the presence of antioxidants, including bioflavonoids.The apple is a legitimate presence on the world fruit and vegetable market and, apart from Italy, Asia, Russia and Europe are also important in the production and distribution of apples; apple producer organisations are set to play an important role in Europe: in fact, these are good times for them thanks to a marketing policy led by the European Union.

World apple production reaches over 63 million tonnes, while Italian apple production is 2142,000 tonnes: 46% comes from Alto Adige (978,000 tonnes) which, with 18,000 hectares under cultivation, is the cradle of European apple production and distribution.Apple producers have been privileged to grow this fruit worldwide, not least by attaching great importance to the best varieties and renewing apple varieties.