Fruits and Vegetables

Fresh fruits and vegetables

In Germany the average harvest is between 1.3 and 1.5 million tons fruit. The bulk of the crop is apples with approx. 1 million tons - representing approx. 75% of the entire fruit harvest. Along with the main Jona group crop, new apple varieties such as Braeburn, Gala, Elsta, Pinova and Topaz are cultivated.

Other important fruits are strawberries, cherries, plums, pears as well as red and black currents, raspberries and blueberries. About two thirds of the pome fruit and berries are consumed as fresh produce, the remaining third third is used as processed fruit.

In Germany approximately 10,500 horticulture farms with 115,000 ha., produce approx. 3.3 million tons of vegetables. These include different kinds of cabbage, root and tuber vegetables, leaf and fruit vegetables, herbs and salads uncovered or under glass depending upon season. In addition asparagus, fresh mushrooms as well as spice and medical plants are cultivated.

Processed fruits and vegetables, potato products

In 96 companies in the fruit and vegetable processing industry, jam, fruit spreads, canned fruit and vegetables, red cabbage, sauerkraut and a variety of fine sour vegetables are made from fresh raw materials. The potato processing industry produces chips and sticks, French fries, dumplings and many other typical German potato specialities in 28 companies. In total, the industry employs almost 24,000 people and generates an annual turnover of over 8 billion euros.