EU apple crop increases while pear production plummets

EU apple production in 2021/22 is estimated to increase by 4.5% from the previous campaign to 11 million tons, according to a USDA report. However, the EU’s pear crop is expected to be down 28% Y-O-Y to 1.6 million tons, due to unfavourable growing conditions early in the season. EU table grape production is forecast up 1% from 2020/21 to 1.4 million tons. Although COVID-19 has not affected production volumes, it has increased production costs due to the imposition of COVID-19-related sanitary standards in the harvesting and distribution process.