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 product was placed until the end of the season, taking a realistic stocktake and looking ahead pragmatically to the 2026/27 season.

The 2025 figures

Gerhard Eberhöfer, Vip's organic manager, states: “The season now drawing to a close has required an extraordinary commitment and a profound capacity for commercial adaptation. 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 foresight of past investments, driven by the farmers' consistent quality policy: the Vip 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 of the 2025 harvest will be completed by the beginning of September, with the exception of the Golden Delicious variety, which will maintain its proverbial availability for 12 consecutive months, ensuring a seamless transition to the new harvest from October.

Outlook 2026/27

The 2026 production season presented significant climatic challenges, with a warmer-than-average summer and little rainfall. In this scenario, the altitude of the Val Venosta apple orchards (located between 500 and 1.100 m) 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 agricultural activity.

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 of previous years. The other red and two-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 2026 harvest is showing 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 therefore renewing its most important promise to buyers in the large-scale retail and specialist channels: total product availability 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.