Apple volumes up 9 per cent on last year, but pear production set to contract by 5 per cent
Catalonia is recovering its apple production potential after several years of adverse weather, including frosts, hailstorms, and drought. However, pear production will be significantly affected this season by high temperatures.
This was the takeaway from a press conference given on Friday to present the latest apple and pear forecast for the region by Rosa Altisent, director general of agriculture and livestock at the Catalan government’s Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries.
Altisent noted that to date, this production season has been free from major weather-related damage, but high spring and summer temperatures are impacting fruit sizing, a trend already observed with stonefruit.
“Data from this season confirm that the fresh fruit sector remains strategic for Catalonia and an economic driver, particularly in the Lleida region,” she said. “We are seeing an increasingly professional and competitive sector that has also demonstrated great resilience following the 2022 frosts.”
Altisent emphasized that the department will continue to stand by the sector in the face of extreme weather events. In this regard, she noted the publication of Order ARP/130/2026 on 6 July, which approves the regulatory framework for grants aimed at farm investments to protect against hail and frost – a long-standing demand from the sector.
The goal is to strengthen the resilience and competitiveness of farms in the face of the increasing adverse weather events associated with climate change. The call for applications provides for a maximum allocation of €8mn, earmarked for the 2027 fiscal year. The maximum eligible area is 8 hectares, with a maximum grant amount of €120,000 per beneficiary.
Joan Serentill, president of Afrucat’s Apple and Pear Committee, noted that “it is important for summer consumption and demand to remain high so that the apple and pear season can begin without issues regarding leftover stocks from the previous crop. Pending European forecasts, we believe it will be a manageable season in terms of volume”.
The Catalan apple harvest is expected to weigh in at 289,000 tonnes in 2026 – 9 per cent higher than last year and 12 per cent up on the five-year average – marking a recovery after several years of adverse weather conditions. By region, a notable 30 per cent increase is expected in Girona, which is recovering its production potential after being affected last year by alternate bearing and other weather-related issues.
Girona has undergone a substantial shift in the varietal profile of new plantings, showing a clear move toward new varieties, which already account for 26 per cent of new plantings (aged 0-2 years.
In Lleida, production for 2026 is estimated at approximately 182,300 tonnes – broadly similar to last year – with no significant weather-related impacts reported to date. Good product quality is expected, though sizes will be noticeably affected by high temperatures during fruit development. Regarding new plantings (0-2 years old) in Lleida, there is a continued focus on Golden (29 per cent) and Granny Smith (27 per cent), as well as newer varieties (13 per cent).
The pear forecast for Catalonia for 2026 is 101,500 tonnes; this is 5 per cent lower than last year and 4 per cent below the five-year average. This slight decrease in production is due to the impact of high temperatures affecting the region.
