PEAR and apple production is expected to retract to 2020 levels due to extreme weather events in key growing areas this year which may mean healthier price options for growers.
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Adverse flooding in the eastern states in late 2022 and two significant hail events in the Goulburn Valley have been listed as major reasons for supply disruptions in the domestic market in 2023.
Apple and Pear Australia Limited chief executive officer Philip Turnbull said while the organisation is confident there will be an ample supply of high-quality apples and pears in the Australian market this year, the reduced volumes will see the sector back on par with the volumes of 2020.
"With this, we will have a more valuable proposition for the retailers that deserves to command a fair and meaningful price in 2023," Mr Turnbull said.
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"Primarily due to the hail event on 22 December 2022 that affected orchards stretching from Tatura to Bunbartha, we will see 11.6 per cent fewer apples and 35.1pc fewer pears in the national class one supply of pomefruit this year."
"The 2023 Apple and Pear Crop Estimate echoes this outlook, acknowledging that gross apple production is expected to be down 7.9pc from 2022 with a total production of just 290,000 tonnes, with an average national packout similar to last year.
"Similarly, the crop forecast predicts gross pear production will be down 16.1pc on 2022, at 72,000 tonnes."
It's hoped the reduced amount of fruit will give growers and marketers leverage for better returns.
Mr Turnbull said the shifts in supply will enable weightier negotiations this year, whereby growers will be in a position to have more robust conversations with the retailers around fair fruit prices.
"With a smaller crop of good quality fruit and steady consumer demand, we expect prices for apples and pears to be stronger than in 2022," he said.
Rural Bank's March Insights report reinforced the impact flooding would have on the current harvest.
"A slight reduction in 2023 output is forecast following flooding in late 2022," it said.
The Australian Horticulture Statistics Handbook 2021/22 put the total production value of apples for the period at $568.6 million with 307,630t produced.
For the year ending June 2022, Australia exported 3141t.
The handbook reported 121,954t of pears were produced and valued at $131.6m with 43pc sent to be processed. Victoria produced 90pc of the total crop.
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Ashley Walmsley
Ashley Walmsley is the editor of ACM's only national, fresh produce magazine, Good Fruit & Vegetables, while also covering horticulture stories for the agricultural papers and websites. He also writes the weekly, The Ringer, column in the Qld Country Life.
Ashley Walmsley is the editor of ACM's only national, fresh produce magazine, Good Fruit & Vegetables, while also covering horticulture stories for the agricultural papers and websites. He also writes the weekly, The Ringer, column in the Qld Country Life.
