The UK topfruit industry has been dealt a blow with the news that apple sales in the country fell 3.2 per cent over the past year to May, down to 501m kg of fruit.
According to a report in UK publication the Daily Telegraph, the sales downturn continued through the summer this year, with increased competition and promotion from competing fruits such as cherries, plums and peaches cited as one of the reasons for the fall.
'I am concerned about the reduction in sales of apples and not just in this country,' Adrian Barlow, chief executive of national body English Apples & Pears, told the newspaper. 'I've told the World Apple & Pear Association that we need to determine why this is the case and what we can do about it.'
Despite the negative results, Mr Barlow said that he was confident sales would pick up at the start of the English apple season, boosted by support from retailers.
'There is a huge amount of support from the multiples,' Mr Barlow added. 'They are all making plans to increase sales of English apples including highlighting them in stores and in advertising. Hopefully the decline will turn around.'
The market for apples grew by 0.8 per cent last year to £712m (786m), a trend also seen across Europe, industry experts told the Telegraph.
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