Throughout the European Union, peach and nectarine yields have seen an upward trend in almost all regions, with notable increases in production. In Hungary, the peach yield has also shown remarkable growth, nearly doubling from the previous year's figures. The apricot sector is also experiencing growth, with the season commencing earlier and anticipated to extend longer than in past years.
The Agrárközgazdasági Intézet (AKI) report highlights that by July 16, peach harvesting reached 51.2%, with an average yield of approximately 10.8 tons/hectare. This marks a substantial uptick from the prior year, culminating in a production of 13.8 thousand tons of peaches and nectarines within Hungary for 2023. It's important to note, however, that the land allocated for peach cultivation has seen a reduction over the past five years, from 4.9 thousand hectares in 2018 to 2.3 thousand hectares last year.
Apricot cultivation is on the rise, with 1,731 producers currently involved in farming apricots across nearly 5,000 hectares. Key apricot-producing counties include Bács-Kiskun, Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén, Fejér, Pest, Somogy, and Tolna, with the cultivation area expanding steadily.
In terms of the European Union's leading peach and nectarine producers—Spain, Italy, Greece, and France—a 5% increase in harvest volume is anticipated, reaching 2.7 million tons. Nectarine production is expected to rise by 8% to 1.34 million tons, while peach production is set to grow by 4% to 1.04 million tons. Despite a projected 4% decrease in flat peach yields to 310.8 thousand tons, the overall outlook for the peach market remains positive.
Source: Trade Magazin