CRUNCH TIME FOR ENGLISH APPLES - CONSUMERS URGED TO LOOK BEYOND SKIN DEEP WITH THIS YEAR'S CROP
CRUNCH TIME FOR ENGLISH APPLES - CONSUMERS URGED TO LOOK BEYOND SKIN DEEP WITH THIS YEAR'S CROPIt looks like the adverse weather conditions this summer have taken their toll on English apples. This year's crop is already 3 weeks late getting into the shops and some fruit has been so badly damaged by wind, rain and hail, that retailers have declared it un-saleable. High rain fall throughout the summer, combined with unseasonably cool temperatures, have reduced this year's crop and caused some apples to split. Other apples have been marked by hail and the effects of high winds, making the crop less attractive to shoppers. Demand for English apples is increasing, and in order to satisfy that demand the UK's major supermarkets have decided to relax their strict rules on appearance for once in order to get English apples on the shelves. The crop itself, approximately 70 thousand tonnes, is around 25% lower than last year. But retailers claim, by allowing less than perfect looking fruit on their shelves, there will be adequate supplies from now until at least the end of the year. Experts say the skin blemishes have no effect on the taste of the apples and that consumers should put taste before appearance when shopping for their favourite varieties. The apple industry is launching an advertising campaign called "Still tastes great" in support of this message.
Talking points:
conditions during 2012 have reduced the quantity of this year's crop to the level of 2008there will still be good supplies of English Gala, Cox and other mid season varieties in the shops from the end of Septemberconsumers should over look some weather marking as it does not affect taste
