This season's prospects for Maribelle apples look good. "There might be slightly fewer, but they're sweet, and this truly Dutch apple tastes fantastic," says fruit grower René Wellner. Yet he also sounds the alarm in this interview. "If plant protection products disappear at this rate, few apple varieties will remain to grow in the Netherlands. Even the Elstar won't last. Then what will be left?"
René Wellner (left) and fellow grower Ben de Sonnaville.
René has been investing in Maribelle apples - which he considers the Netherlands' most sustainable apple - for about ten years.
"This variety was developed in [the Dutch village of] Altforst, making it a real, local apple. New overseas apple varieties have been introduced rapidly recently."
"But those trees all come from far away. They tend to lack Dutch hardiness. The Maribelle, however, meets those conditions. Organic cultivation is also developing stably, and diseases like mildew and apple canker are well contained," explains René.
"I consider the Maribelle the most robust apple variety for the future. You know what you are growing. We've laid a nice foundation for this apple over the past ten years. We've fought hard for that. We're certainly not there yet, but I'm proud that we keep maintaining this small apple variety without the aid of big campaigns. The apple sells itself; we've primarily relied on word of mouth." René has just under 20 hectares of the variety on his farm. This apple is cultivated on a total of 90 hectares in the Netherlands and Belgium.
"For me, this question, thus, remains: why there's so much investment in all those new apple varieties with gigantic costs when sometimes, after years, it turns out they're tough to grow? What do we need with even more new varieties? Fruit growers have run out of money," René continues.
"This year's market outlook is reasonably positive, and prices are satisfactory, but all the high costs mean that price still isn't at a level growers need. The way things are going in the Netherlands, not a single apple grower will be left. I'm genuinely concerned that, in a few years, we'll find we should've done things differently, but by then, it will be too late."
"Our overseas competitive position has completely disappeared in recent years. We're at the top of Europe, costs-wise, and our apples have become too expensive to export. So we must rely on the local market, with some exports for when there are shortages. With Maribelle, we can at least provide a Dutch apple at Dutch prices in Dutch supermarkets," says Wellner.
"Maribelle is available at two Dutch supermarket chains, and fruit and vegetable wholesalers and greengrocers stores like working with it. Last season, we broadened our packaging line to include bags and trays for 4/6. With automation, the customization process is further accelerated."
What challenges do Maribelle apples have? "In difficult color years, it sometimes has trouble blushing, but we use a leaf blower to fix that. Also, when the tree has fewer apples hanging on it, the apples can sometimes grow a little larger. The advantage for us is that those are very suitable for processing into, say, fruit salads or wedges. As soon as the color, blush, or size aren't up to scratch, you can process them well," René answers in conclusion.
For more information:
René Wellner
Roel Wellner Fruit
12 A Esterweg
4185 NN, Est, NL
Tel.: +31 (0) 655 175 169
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.maribelle-appel.nl