Now there are lots of Swedish, organic apples! The harvest season is coming to an end, and we had a chat Äppelrikets CEO, Henrik Stridh, about this year's season and how the grocery trade can strengthen its communication and exposure of Swedish eco-apples. Äppelriket is also included Eko-Portalen. On Eko-Portalen gives an overview of which varieties Äppelriket offers, as well as contact information for Henrik.

Henrik sums up the harvest and growing year for organic apples relatively stable.

-    The winter was good and we have not had any major frosty nights set in early spring. The flowering was strong and there was a lot of apple maple on each tree, says Henrik.

The harvest of organic apples also looks to be larger than in the previous year and with good external and internal quality. However, some growers have had problems with certain insects such as apple growers during the season.

- Unusually enough, we saw two generations of this butterfly and this means that you as a grower must have extra control over egg laying. The picking season, which is in the absolute final stages, has been relatively wet and windy, but in between the sun's rays are bright, says Henrik.

Frida and Santana are the organic varieties that Äppelriket has the best access at the moment. Frida can be described as firm, sour and crunchy, and is actually only found at Äppelrikets growers. Santana is also a sour and firm variety, and which also has extra good storage qualities. It is also these varieties that together with Aroma are resistant to fungi and insects so they are very suitable for organic and KRAV-certified cultivation.

To expose organic apples in the grocery trade, Henrik has some solid advice.

- Let them be exposed in their lichen boards and let customers pick directly from them. Holes about noise mean that fruit gets shock damage in the store. Tell us about the unique varieties and highlight each type of property in terms of taste, acidity and sweetness. Inform about how it is possible to grow apples, how pollination takes place and how the growers live on their cultivation. We on Äppelriket happy to help with communication, Henrik concludes.

Brief facts about Äppelriket
Powered by: 65 fruit growers in southern and central Sweden. Äppelriket is a cooperative producer organization.
Focus: Sales, marketing and distribution of member companies' fruit.
Uniqueness: Wide range of both traditional and modern apple and pear varieties