Apple farming

Cultivated land: 18,000 hectares
Altitude: 250 to 1,000 m
Apple production in South Tyrol (2004): 966,380 tonnes

The top five varieties:
Golden delicious 45%
Royal gala 12%
Red delicious 11%
Braeburn 8%
Granny Smith 6%
Pink lady, fuji and pinova varieties are also popular.

One third of Italy’s, or 10% of the whole of Europe’s apples are produced by South Tyrol’s 8000 fruit farmers. Around 50% of the annual harvest is exported, with this trend increasing every year. 70% is exported to Germany, the other 30% to Scandanavia, Eastern Europe, Great Britain, Spain, Greece and other countries. Production is quality-oriented. After the harvest of 2005, South Tyrolean apples will be marketed under the European origin description ‚South Tyrol apple’. Apples are produced according to integrated or organic farming guidelines.

> Holiday on a farm with fruit-growing