In the Netherlands, top fruit harvesting has been over for a while at Van Blijderveen Fruit. "Cultivation-wise, we still rely on the old-fashioned Dutch varieties, with Elstar, Jonagold, and Red Prince forming the main bulk," begins Kees van Blijderveen. He is satisfied with how the harvest went. "If you have enough hands - and fortunately, we did - it goes well. The weather was good, though we could've done without that week of warm weather. That made it hard to decide which to pick first, Conference pears or Elstar apples."
"In the Netherlands, fewer of especially Elstars were harvested. For Conferences, it's still somewhat less clear exactly how big the harvest will be, but even there, the general trend is that it's slightly less than last year. There are some quality problems, though; the pears are smaller and rougher. Also, that warm week resulted in the occasional cooked apple and quite a difference between firmness and flavor. Luckily, there's good demand for Class II and industrial fruit, too," says Kees.
"Since we've increasingly encountered it during harvesting in recent years, we're getting used to the heat. What concerns me more is the resource availability to keep the apples perfect on the tree. Apple blossom weevils are a serious threat. That's why we, as a growing nation, must work hard to find alternatives or maintain current resources. Otherwise, we're going to truly struggle."
A cheery Van Blijderveen driver on the road.
"For now, the disinformed people that are against these agents are shouting louder than those working all year to grow their crop nicely. That's hugely challenging for Dutch fruit growing. Another challenge is keeping enough people working in the sector," Kees knows. It is also vital not to lose sight of the increased pear cultivation in a country like Poland. "They have a somewhat different, somewhat more extreme climate. That doesn't benefit them. We have, however, shared so much know-how there that they'll eventually succeed."
Van Blijderveen is primarily active in the French, German, and Dutch markets and, via exporters, to further destinations. The company trades club varieties but has not yet introduced them to its orchards. "They're tricky. The harvest time is often not ideal, weather-wise," Kees explains.
"And a gap remains between the Red Prince and the new varieties. We're, thus, not yet sold on the idea. Neither do I believe in each supermarket having its own apple. You should be able to market apples almost worldwide. But from the perspective of exclusivity to cover costs, I can understand it."
Is there light at the end of this season's tunnel? "We're just entering that light. Kidding aside, things look good. With more demand than supply, the market is stable to slightly rising. It would be great if some extra money could go into cultivation over the next few years. Dutch fruit growers can then keep investing. As things stand, there's at least a chance of that this season," Kees concludes, laughing.
For more information:
Kees van Blijderveen
Gebr. van Blijderveen
9 De Brei
4031 JE, Ingen, NL
Tel: +31 (0) 344 601 224
Email: kees@blijderveenfruit.nl
Website: www.blijderveenfruit.nl