2 - 



EUROPEAN APPLE INDUSTRY 



William J. Lord 

 Department of Plant and Soil Sciences 



An article in the May 10, 1965, issue of Foreign Agriculture by 

 Gilbert E. Sindelar, Fruit and Vegetable Division, Foreign Agricultural 

 Service and entitled "What's Happened to Our Apple Market in Europe - 

 and Why" contains many facts of interest. 



Prior to World War II, the United States was the world's largest 

 exporter of apples for fresh use. We now rank about sixth. In terms 

 of volume, total export has decreased from an average of 10 million 

 bushels in the 1930 's to a little over 3.5 million bushels in recent 

 years. During this time, export of apples to Western Europe, our major 

 market, has decreased from 8.5 million bushels to an average of about 

 2 million bushels. 



According to Mr. Sindelar, the reasons for this loss of the Western 

 European market trace back to the period immediately following World War 

 II. 



"War had crippled the exporting industries of most European nations, 

 seriously limiting their ability to earn dollars with which to pay for 

 needed imports. This prompted, in some cases, the complete prohibition 

 of imports, including apples. Today, most of Europe is enjoying a high 

 level of economic well-being, but despite this, the opportunities for 

 furthering U.S. trade in apples to anywhere near prewar levels have been 

 dimmed by the rapidly increasing self-sufficiency of the European market. 



With only a very few exceptions, the apple industry in Western 

 Europe has expanded greatly, and this growth has been largely a postwar 

 development accomplished under the veil of protectionism. Although it 

 is recognized that the dollar exchange shortages are no longer a valid 

 argument for the maintenance of trade barriers, political pressures from 

 the home front have fostered a continuation of restrictions. The fron- 

 tiers of many European countries still remain closed to imports, either 

 wholly or partially, until the marketing of locally produced fruit has 

 passed its peak." 



Italy now leads in production 



Due to a spectacular increase in apple production within a rela- 

 tively short period of time, Italy now leads Europe in apple production. 

 Before World War II, Italy averaged only about 13 million bushels of 

 apples a year. By the early 1950 's, average production had risen to 

 36 million bushels and, in 1964, production reached a new high of 108 

 million bushels. 



Most of the post-war expansion in Italy's apple production has 

 taken place in the Po Valley which now produces more apples than did the 

 whole of Italy in 1940. 



