In our regularly scheduled seasonal fruits and vegetables news article for September 2026, we dedicated the entire fruit section to the humble apple.
Apples are in the Rosaceae (rose) family of plants that includes nearly 5000 known species. Apples originated and were domesticated in the Tian Shan mountain ranges in Central Asia. They spread along the Silk Road west to Europe and the Americas and east to China.
In 2024, world production of apples was 98 million tonnes and 122,000 tonnes of apples are consumed every year in the UK.
The Harvest in Europe
The record high heat and low rainfall have caused orchards across Europe to expect a potential decline in the apple harvest.
Poland, the EU’s largest apple producer, expects a nearly 30% decline in apple harvest year on year.
German fruit growers expect a 5.4% decline in apple harvest in 2026 compared to the average harvest of the last ten years.
French fruit growers expect a 5% decline in apple harvest in 2026 compared to 2025 but still in line with the overall 2021-2025 average.
Italian growers expect a smaller decline of just 2.2% year on year.
Contrasting this decline, Spanish growers are expecting increases of 8% – 16%. And Turkey expects an increase of as much as 104% year on year.
The harvest in the UK
Across the UK, it’s a mixed picture, with overall production expected to be around the five-year average.
However, cider orchards in the South West are reporting many trees have produced no fruit at all, and of those that have fruit, around 50% fell before ripening. Some growers have declared it could be the worst apple harvest in history for cider makers.
Wonky fruit
As with every harvest, nature will leave its mark. We encourage all Four Seasons Fruiterers customers to recognise cosmetic marks and natural variation are part of sustainable food production.
Keep up to date
At Four Seasons Fruiterers, we will, of course, do our best to bring you the best local and international produce available.
We encourage you to review menus and promotions to ensure you can meet your guests’ expectations without compromising on quality.
And as always, follow us on social media to keep up to date with seasonal produce, crop updates and specials.