According to the Farmers' Markets Association of the Czech Republic (AFT CR), despite the fact that this year's apple harvest is of excellent quality, many won't be marketed for fresh consumption; a paradox that goes directly against the interests of consumers and healthy eating. The reason for this, according to the Association, is the EU legislation.
EU regulations prohibit the sale of fruits and vegetables that do not meet certain parameters, including size. It is a set of measures which in some cases are already under pressure to be abolished, although standardisation remains.
These regulations also affect apples, the best-selling and most consumed fruit in the Czech Republic. According to estimates of the Fruit Union of the Czech Republic (CR OU), about seventy percent of this year's crop will be used for further processing into cider and other apple products.
"Common sense says that consumers would prefer fresh, high-quality apples. At farmers' markets, visitors have been able to taste many varieties which cannot be sold at multinational chains because of the nonsensical legislation," said Jiri Sedlacek, AFT president in the Czech Republic.
The prohibition to market non-standard apples also concerns the supply of apples to school canteens as part of the "Fruit in Schools" scheme. And for this reason, fruits grown in our country are replaced in Czech schools by products imported from abroad.
