Effects of structural change and international trade on profitability of apple production in Europe and South Africa
2015
Garming, H. | Strohm, K. | Dirksmeyer, W.
Apples, which rank third among the most important fruit crops globally, have experienced considerable growth over the past decade from 58 million tonnes in 2001 to 75.5 million tonnes in 2011. As temperate fruit they are grown in countries in the Northern and Southern Hemisphere. New storage technologies allow storage for up to 12 months and a continuous supply throughout the year. Producers from Europe and the Southern Hemisphere such as South Africa compete directly in European markets. In this context, the factors driving apple production in South Africa, Italy and Germany and their impacts on competitiveness are analysed. The study uses national statistics and typical farms in major production regions to provide a comprehensive understanding of the current situation and expected trends in apple production systems. While Germany produces mainly for domestic markets, both Italy and South Africa export 43% of their production. The most important export destination for Italian apples is Germany: however this market has declined over the past decade. Other export destinations for Italian apples are Spain and the Russian Federation. South Africa's main buyers for apples are the UK and Malaysia, but exports to other African countries and the Middle East have increased. Farm sizes are much smaller in Europe than in South Africa, however structural change towards larger farms is a global trend. The farm level analysis shows cost advantages for larger farm sizes in Italy and Germany. South African apple growers operate on a much lower cost level, but with rather small profits.
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