Apples are by far the most important fruit in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. But climate change means that farmers are also looking at new species.
Schwerin (dpa / mv) - Fruit farmers are increasingly relying on walnuts. The area under cultivation has tripled in the last five years, as reported by the Mecklenburg-Western Pomeranian Statistical Office in Schwerin on Wednesday. "While in 2017 six farms were still growing 49 hectares of walnuts, in 2022 there are already 13 farms with 162 hectares."
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania's fruit cultivation consultant Rolf Hornig sees the reasons for the growing interest in the walnut in climate change, which accommodates this warmth-loving species, and in currently attractive subsidies.
However, in the latest issue of the information sheet for horticulture in MV, Hornig straightens out the picture of the boom a little. "The boom won't be that big after all," he writes there. The agricultural statistics are based on the company headquarters principle, according to which the collection of all information is based on the location of the company headquarters and not on the location of the areas managed by the company in the respective federal state. "In fact, two companies based in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania are growing walnuts on an area of almost 62 hectares in Brandenburg and Saxony-Anhalt." In MV, however, the area under walnut cultivation has more than doubled since 2017.
According to official statistics, the proportion of walnuts in total tree fruit cultivation in MV is still low. Accordingly, there are currently 1866 hectares of fruit trees. Above all, it is apple trees that grow on 1546 hectares. Five years ago it was 1686 hectares. "This means that apples continue to be the number one most commonly grown fruit tree in the country," the statisticians said. That could stay that way, since according to Hornig there is a powerful processing industry in the Northeast. Between 85 and 90 percent of the apple harvest is made into juice, pulp, puree and dried fruit.
According to the office, Elstar is the most commonly grown dessert apple in MV with a share of 25 percent of the total area under cultivation, followed by Jonagold with 16.5 percent and Jonagored with 12.4 percent. With a share of 2.6 percent, the Boskoop ranked sixth among the most important apple varieties.
Other types of fruit tend to lead a niche existence: According to the statisticians, sour cherries are grown on 59 hectares, sweet cherries on 20 hectares. "The growing of stone fruit is becoming less and less relevant here," says Hornig, a fruit-growing consultant. "The aging stocks are mainly harvested by self-pickers." Pears grow on 21 hectares and plums and mirabelle plums on 34 hectares.
