In Nigeria, the majority of apples consumed are imported from countries like South Africa and the United States of America. Statistics show that at least 50, 000 tons of these apples are imported into the country annually. Each year the consumption of apples is on the rise and there’s the need to find ways to begin to grow apples in the country in order to meet this growing demand.
The type of apple that can be grown in large quantities in a place like Nigeria is the Bell apple. The Bell apple is as nutritious and beneficial as the imported variety although it tastes quite different. It has a mixture of a sweet and sour taste and the intensity of the sweetness or sourness depends on how ripe it is.
The most popular apples consumed in Nigeria are those produced in the temperate or Mediterranean regions. They cannot be grown in Nigeria because they require cold conditions for optimal growth and fruit production. However, the apples have been grown in the past in the plateau regions of Nigeria like the Jos, Mambila and Obudu plateau.
Source: independent.ng