September 06

December 2006, World Apple Report Highlights

Is Competitiveness Contagious?
This article compares measures of competitiveness for major apple producing countries derived by the World Apple Report for apple competitiveness and by the World Economic Forum for general economic competitiveness and business competitiveness. In general, the factors that make a general economy strong appear also to make an apple industry strong. However, some major disparities were found. For example, the apple industries in Italy, Chile, New Zealand, Argentina and Brazil substantially outperformed the general economies. In contrast, the apple industries in the United Kingdom, Germany and Hungary substantially underperformed the general economies. The results should be useful to government policy makers and industry leaders.

France's fruit Industry Struggles to Regain Clout
France has long been one of the world's major producers and exporters of deciduous fruits. However, in the last two decades, the fruit area has continued to shrink and only increased yields have prevented a sharp fall in production. France's favorable balance of deciduous fruit exports to imports has fallen from 4 to 1 in 1985-87 to 2.4 to 1 in 2002-04. Demand for imported fruit in France has grown faster than domestic or export demand for French product. Retail and producer prices have struggled. The French deciduous fruit industry has launched numerous initiatives to regain its clout but faces a difficult struggle ahead.

The Energy Trap
Governments around the world have been promoting alternative energy sources in response to high oil prices and volatile oil supplies. Fruit growers, packers and processors need to weigh the cost, efficiency and quality aspects of potential alternative energy sources before making major changes. Governments may be setting unrealistic targets and compounding the problem with mandating uneconomic remedies for the distortions they may be creating. Energy remains part of a truly global market. Ultimately, that market will determine which energy sources prosper and which languish.

Special Statistics
Competitiveness Rankings of Major Apple Producing Countries (table).
France: Key Production Statistics on Major Deciduous Fruits, 1985-87, 1994-96 and 2003-05 (table).
France: Key Trade Statistics on Major Deciduous Fruits, 1985-87, 1994-96 and 2002-04 (table).
France: Average Retail Prices of Fresh Apples and Fresh Pears, 1998-2005 (chart).
United States: Average Labor Force Growth Rates, by Age group, Selected Years (table).
United Kingdom: Household Purchases of fruit, by Age of Household Reference Person (chart).

The authoritative guide to the world apple business today.

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