EU apple production to decline by 13.5%

Commercial apple production in the European Union is forecast to decline by 13.5% to 9.8 mln tons in the MY 2026/27, compared with 11.37 mln tons in the previous season. If the forecast materializes, the harvest will be the second smallest in the past decade. These estimates are presented in the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Fresh Deciduous Fruit Annual report. The main reasons for the decline are unfavorable weather conditions that have negatively affected apple orchard yields in major producing countries.

Poland, the EU’s leading apple producer, is expected to record the largest losses. In the 2026/27 season, Polish growers are forecast to harvest around 2.9 mln tons of apples, down 24% from 3.8 mln tons a year earlier. A significant decline is also expected in Germany, where production is projected to fall by 22% to 890.6 thsd tons. Spring frosts, summer heat, and drought were the main factors damaging orchards and negatively affecting fruit development.

In France, apple production is forecast at 1.375 mln tons, down 14% from the previous season. Italy, one of Europe’s largest apple producers, is expected to harvest 2.269 mln tons, representing a decline of approximately 2%. Meanwhile, Spain is showing the opposite trend, with apple production projected to increase by 12% to 525 thsd tons. This highlights the varying impact of weather conditions on orchard productivity across different EU regions.

A further factor contributing to lower production is the reduction in apple orchard acreage. In the 2026/27 season, the harvested area in the European Union is expected to decline by 1.4%. Growers are facing rising production costs, restrictions on the use of crop protection products, and increasingly frequent crop losses caused by adverse weather. These challenges are discouraging investment in orchard renewal and production expansion.

The smaller harvest is also expected to affect EU apple trade. According to the USDA, apple imports into the European Union are forecast to increase by approximately 15% in the 2026/27 season due to reduced domestic supplies. Meanwhile, EU apple exports are expected to decline amid lower production volumes and stronger competition from other suppliers, particularly Turkey. Tighter supplies could provide support for prices in the European market, although future price movements will depend on demand, crop quality, and import volumes.

Tags: EU, apples