Vip Val Venosta closes the organic apple season successfully despite climatic difficulties

Vip – the Association of Fruit and Vegetable Cooperatives of Val Venosta – has successfully concluded an organic season characterised by record volumes at European level, complex geopolitical challenges and climatic difficulties.

Thanks to a strong international presence and the efficiency of its modern packing centre, the organisation ensured that the produce was marketed until the end of the season, taking a realistic stocktake and looking ahead pragmatically to the 2026/27.

The figures 2025

Gerhard Eberhöfer, Vip’s organic manager, says: “The season now drawing to a close has required extraordinary commitment and a profound ability to adapt commercially. In the face of European organic production reaching record highs and a German market strongly dominated by local produce, Vip has succeeded in expanding its distribution network, acquiring new customers and consolidating volumes with existing partners.”

This success was made possible by the forward-looking investments made in the past, driven by the farmers’ consistent quality policy: Vip’s organic packing centre, one of the most modern and impressive in Europe, made it possible to manage the workload, absorbing the logistical difficulties exacerbated by the recent tensions in the Middle East. Deliveries from the harvest will be completed by the beginning of September 2025, with the exception of the Golden Delicious, which will retain its proverbial availability for 12 consecutive months, ensuring a seamless transition to the new harvest from October.

Outlook 2026/27

The production year 2026 presented significant climatic challenges, with awarmer-than-average summer and scarce rainfall. In this scenario, thealtitude of the Val Venosta orchards (located between 500 and 1.100 m above sea level) proved to be a crucial advantage, mitigating the high temperatures. In addition, the constant availability of water, managed for decades through efficient drip-irrigation systems, safeguarded farming activities.

In terms of quality, the excessive heat in August affected the colouration of the Gala variety, which is good but differs from the excellent levels seen in previous years. The other red and bi-coloured varieties, on the other hand, should benefit from the cooler weather forecast for September, developing optimal pigmentation.

Stable volumes and guaranteed supply for 12 months

Looking at the quantitative data, the harvest 2026 stands at excellent volumes, recording only a slight decline of 5% compared with the previous year. This figure enables Vip to confirm its leading position in the European organic sector. The organisation is thus renewing its most important promise to buyers in the large-scale retail and specialist channels: the total availability of the produce for 12 months of the year, ensuring continuity, service and reliability.

This article was translated from the original Italian version with the assistance of artificial intelligence. In case of discrepancies, please refer to the original Italian version.