“We'll have about 2,500 tons of Juliet apples this year,” said Roland Charrade of Cardell Export in France. “We had something like 1,800 tons last year, and it's more, but we've been planning to grow more quickly.” The goal is to have 10,000 tons of the organic Juliet apples in Europe in the next few years, and although several factors have prevented them from getting closer to that goal this year, Roland Charrade believes they'll get there soon.
“Our growing surface is getting bigger, but some of the trees that are planted will take a few years to produce fruit,” he said. “Most of the trees we need are planted, so in three or four years we should be very close to our goal.”
With most of the French market covered already, Roland Charrade said that the added volume will have to go to countries outside France, and with the rising popularity of organic fruit and the long season the Juliet variety enjoys, he thinks they'll be successful throughout Europe and beyond. Cardell Export brings the JULIET apples already to some Asian, Middle Eastern and North American countries.
“With the Juliet, we try to have as long a season possible,” he said. “We want to be able to have supplies for a long period because organic customers are happy if they can find steady supplies in France and Europe, because it means they don't have to ship fruit from across the globe.” This season has been good in that respect, he added, because good picking conditions have made for high quality of fruit that will store well.
“Last year we finished up in June,” he said. “We're happy with the quality so far, which means fruit should preserve well long into the season.”
