The Argentine Protected Patagonia region produced 1.366 million metric tons (MT) of pome fruit in the first half of 2011, according to statistcs released by the Patagonian Zoo-phytosanitary Barrier Foundation (FunBaPa).

The foundation says these volumes are the highest in seven years and 14.23% larger than the average over that period, with the total divided into 52% apples and 48% pears.

Apple production was 704,658MT of which 162,895MT was destined for export, while pear production stood at 661,172MT of which 374,147MT were shipped abroad.

FunBaPa's statistics show Europe represented more than 62% of exports for both fruit categories, while the MERCOSUR trading bloc received 13.81% of apples and 20.75% of pears. In terms of other apple export destinations, 11.48% of volumes went to Africa, followed by other countries in the Americas (3.9%) and Asia (1.68%).

With pears, 13.25% of volumes were destined for other nations in the Americas, followed by Africa (1.25%) and Asia (1.68%).

Red Delicious was the dominant exported apple variety at 41.25%, followed by Gala (30.25%) and Granny Smith (13.55%). Williams was the leading pear export at 44.5%, followed by Packham's Triumph (26.49%), Beurre D'Anjou (11.65%) and Red Bartlett (6.65%).

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