The warm summer weather has been beneficial to the flavour of Swedish apples. But recurring hailstorms have damaged about 60% of the harvest. Part of it, therefore, will be lost or may be sold as Class II, according to Äppelriket Österlen.

CEO Henrik Stridh speaks of an historic apple harvest and a perfect balance between acidity and sweetness.

Growers have just started harvesting their earliest apple varieties and the consequences of the summer hailstorms are now to be seen.

Hailstorm damages entail damage to the skin, which differ depending on the shape and hardness of the hailstones. Soft hailstones usually cause only a little damage, a blemish on the surface. But a hailstone with sharp edges can actually pierce the shell, which will result in the apple rotting prematurely on the tree.

According to Henrik Stridh, this year's apple harvest will still reach good volumes. As a result of the heat, the apples have developed well and reached good calibres.

Äppelriket Österlen is a business association with some 90 fruit growers in Skåne, Blekinge and Småland. The company sells two-thirds of all Swedish grown fruit, between ten and 14 million kilos per year.

85% percent of the fruit are apples. The most common variety is Ingrid Marie.

Source - http://www.freshplaza.com/