EU apple crop forecast at 9.5 million tonnes, lowest level in nine years
The 2026 EU apple harvest is forecast at 9.5 million tonnes, down 16% from last season and 14% below the three-year average. The reduction is concentrated in several major producing countries, with Italy broadly stable and Spain and Greece increasing output.
WAPA forecasts EU apple production in 2026 at 9.5 million tonnes, the lowest volume in nine years and one of the smallest crops of the last decade. The figure points to a tighter European supply base at the start of the 2026/27 marketing season, with an earlier harvest expected in many countries and fruit sizes slightly below last year.
The largest reductions among major EU origins are forecast in France, at about 1.2 million tonnes, down 24%, and Germany, at 1.0 million tonnes, down 11%. Belgium is expected to fall by 25% and the Netherlands by 17%, reducing availability from north-western European suppliers that normally compete in the same autumn and winter sales window.
Italy is forecast at 2.3 million tonnes, only 2% below last season, making it one of the more stable large EU suppliers in 2026. Spain is the main positive exception among larger origins, with production forecast up 7.5-8%, while Greece is expected to approach 300,000 tonnes after a 53% increase.
The varietal structure also shows lower supply in several core EU apple categories. Golden Delicious is forecast down 11%, Gala down 8-9%, Red Delicious down 5% and Granny Smith down 4%; Fuji is broadly stable, with a 0.5-1% increase, while new varieties are forecast to rise 9% and approach 700,000 tonnes.
Weather and plant health are cited as key factors behind the lower EU crop. Spring frosts, heatwaves, drought and hail affected several production areas, while France’s reduction is linked mainly to aphids and pathogens; in Flanders, May hail caused heavy damage to apples, with part of the affected fruit redirected away from standard fresh-market channels.
Material prepared by the editorial team of fresh-market.info, editor Artur Spiker · Illustrative image generated by AI