2023 Spanish apricot crop is forecast to be 52 per cent higher than last season but production is down 7 per cent across Europe

Spanish apricot production is set to broadly recover from last season’s devastating frosts. According to the latest forecasts from fruit association Afrucat, presented at Medfel this week, volumes are expected to be 52 per cent higher than last season.

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The forecasts were presented at Medfel this week

This pegs the crop at around 99,000 tonnes. Afrucat noted that this is still around 16 per cent below its full productive potential of 130,000-150,000 tonnes.

Medfel also heard how the forecast for European apricot production is down 7 per cent on last year at 500,000 tonnes. This is also a 7 per cent decrease on the five-year average.

This is due to frosts in parts of Greece and a lack of cold hours during the winter in northern Italy. The start of the harvest is expected to be delays due to later flowering.

Medfel said the impact of the drought affecting most of Europe – and in particular Spain and southern France – had not been taken into account in this forecast.

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