The local Swedish apple and pear industry is looking forward to Christmas this winter when people enjoy festive meals with locally grown ingredients from the centre of the country. Agne Åberg, purchasing manager for Swedish apples and pears at Everfresh in Sweden, briefly describes how the season has been going for their ‘winter jewels’.
Agne Åberg with some of the Swedish 'winter jewels'
"So far, it has been a good season for both the apples and the pears, with good access and good quality of the fruit. The skill of the growers and better cultivation techniques, but also the "moderately good" weather, are contributing factors. For example, there has been unusually little rainfall during harvest, which is good because nasty mold spores are not activated where the weather is drier.”
He explains where the apples and pears currently sold in Sweden comes from. “The Swedish fruits come mostly from South Eastern Skåne, the Kivik area, but also from ‘our’ part of Skåne, namely Helsingborg, the Kulla Peninsula and Båstad.”
Åberg says there is a variety that has been particularly successful this year, which had a good harvest, namely the Aroma apple. He sees a lot of potential for end consumers to buy more locally grown apples and pears. “One variety that has been really nice is the Aroma apple. It is also a popular variety among our customers! They have a lot to choose from in the fruit and vegetable departments. I am convinced that more consumers could buy and eat even more Swedish-grown. There really is potential there!”
Everfresh is one of Sweden’s leading fruit and vegetable companies with their own production in the country. It is one of the Dole Nordic AB owned companies.
As for how he enjoys and prefers to eat the Swedish ‘winter jewels’ of apples and pears at Christmas time, Aberg explains: “At Christmas, I'm happy to take a flavourful Cox Orange. Lots of flavor! Just as well to eat it as it is. Ingrid Marie also tops the season at Christmas. I'm happy to take that as it is! Pears I think are nice to eat, to cut into nice pieces together with some good cheeses, biscuits and some red wine. It can be done at Christmas, New Year or Epiphany!”
For more information:
Agne Åberg
Everfresh Sweden
Tel: +46 (0)42-450 23 00
Email: [email protected]
www.everfresh.se