The apple harvest in Russia is expected to be almost the same as last year, without a deficit and with a slight increase in prices.

In the current year, it is expected that the apple harvest in the agricultural sector will be the same as in 2023 when 1.7 million tons of apples were harvested, according to official data reported by Igor Mukhanin, the President of the Russian Gardeners Association. Earlier, there were concerns that the central region of the country would remain without apples due to spring frosts. However, the situation is slightly different now. The Ministry of Agriculture expects a decrease in the total harvest volume by 5-10%, but according to our association, the harvest will remain at approximately the same level as last year.

At the international forum "Bioprom" held in October, the Minister of Agriculture Oksana Lut forecasted the apple harvest in 2024 at 1.6 million tons, noting that the situation with commercial apples in the country is stable. In June, the Ministry of Agriculture gave a lower forecast of 1.5 million tons. Last week, the head of the agricultural department said that despite the spring frosts, about 1.7 million tons of fruits and berries will be gathered in the organized sector, which is above the average values of the past five years.

According to Mukhanin, losses in the central region amounted to about 15%, while the harvest in the South increased by 10% compared to last year. "There is a good harvest in Crimea right now. Therefore, there will be no apple shortage," emphasized Mukhanin. He also noted that official data show a harvested quantity of apples of 1.7 million tons, however, unofficial data are slightly higher - over 2 million tons were harvested last year. The Ministry of Agriculture takes into account only apples that are sold at retail or used in technical processing. However, there are thousands of farmers who sell their apples at markets or to resellers. The share of these apples in the market is approximately 25-30% and is not included in the statistics.

According to Mukhanin, apple prices have slightly increased compared to last year, especially in retail. "Now it is difficult to find apples cheaper than 120-130 rubles per kilogram in stores," he says. According to his data, wholesale prices for apples range from 60-80 rubles per kilogram, although in 2023 they were 55-60 rubles per kilogram.

At a meeting with President Vladimir Putin, the head of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania, Sergei Menyailo, mentioned that the region is home to the largest apple orchard in southern Russia - 1.5 thousand hectares. The President noted that Russia still has a shortage of apples and there is room for development in this area. In August, Oksana Lut informed the President that in 2023, Russia's self-sufficiency in apples reached 87%, and by 2028, it should reach 100%.