EU fresh apple consumption remains at high level

Apple production in the EU is expected to increase by 10% to 12.5 million tonnes in 2021/22 (+ 8% compared to the 5-year average) due to an estimated increase in harvest area (+ 7% on an annual basis) and thanks to the favorable weather conditions.

The high availability of apples in Poland and the low prices are expected to lead to an increase in the share of apples to be processed (to 34% in 2021/22 compared to 29% in 2020/21).

In total, about 7.8 million tonnes are expected to be sold for fresh consumption (+ 2% on an annual basis) and 4.1 million tonnes for processing. Per capita consumption of fresh apples in the EU should remain high (15.3 kg) thanks to lower prices and growing awareness of healthy living. Per capita consumption of processed apples is expected to increase to about 8 kg (+ 9.3% from year to year), due to the increase in stocks that were low at the end of 2020/21.

In the constant demand for processed apples, the demand for organic products and products without added sugar is increasing.