Cider fruit harvest exceeds expectations by 25 percent
Published: Tuesday, Nov 26th 2024, 09:40
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This year's cider fruit harvest exceeded the harvest estimate by a quarter. Around 77,280 tons of cider apples and 13,176 tons of cider pears were processed, according to the Swiss Fruit Association.
In mid-November, the cideries processed the last large quantities of cider fruit and thus largely completed the 2024 season, as the association wrote on Tuesday. The organic share is 10 percent for cider apples and 17 percent for cider pears. This is slightly higher than in previous years.
The "excellent harvest" in 2024 was due to the good fertilization during flowering in spring and the "sufficient water supply". The cider pear trees in particular benefited from this and had a very good crop.
Cider fruit often grows on high trunk trees
A large proportion of the cider fruit in Switzerland grows on ecologically valuable standard trees. They have been part of the country's cultural heritage for centuries and also provide a habitat for many beneficial insects in agriculture. The care of these standard trees is time-consuming and "requires a lot of heart and soul and a great deal of passion", the association continued. There are now also many farms that operate cider orchards with low-stem cultures. Together, they all contribute to ensuring that there is sufficient raw material for the traditional Swiss drink.
The association also took up the cider cause, writing: "Compared to a glass of orange juice, local apple juice has half the CO2 footprint."
©Keystone/SDA
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