Growers of the Braeburn apple variety have been cautioned to keep market stocks low in 2011, and should even considered having  all of next year’s crop processed for food service and value added use, Radio New Zealand reported.

Citing a newsletter to growers from the Hawke’s Bay Fruitgrowers Association, the report said that the supply of Braeburn’s will surely exceed the demand and that sending the crop to processing at Enzafood, part of grower-exporter Turners & Growers is preferable.

The Braeburns once offered the best export return to growers but a drop in consumption internationally and the rise of competing varieties such as Jazz and Pink Lady have also dropped the Braeburn’s status, Peter Beaven, CEO of the New Zealand Pipfruit Association was quoted as saing.

Even the domestic market is not sufficient to consumer the entire stock, Beaven added.

The Braeburn harvest is expected to grow 25% in 2011 compared to the previous year.

Source: www.freshfruitportal.com