Provisional results of the Orchard Survey conducted by Central Statistical Bureau (CSB) show that in 2017 the total planted area of commercial apple tree orchards¹ reached 3.2 thousand ha, which is 0.8 thousand ha or 33.5 % more than in 2012.

The rise was facilitated by the increase in new (younger than four years) planted areas of 2.5 times, as compared to the results acquired in 2012. Out of the total planted area of apple trees and out of the total apple tree number, 13.3 % and 18.5 %, respectively, were planted during the past four years (in 2012 those were 7 % and 10 %, respectively). Commercial orchards of apple trees older than 25 years occupy 57.8 % of the total planted area of apple trees and constitute 21.3 % of the total apple tree number.

In 2017, in commercial orchards there were 1.4 million apple trees, which is 6.9 % more than in 2012. The average apple tree density in an orchard constituted 447 trees per one hectare, however it differed among the planting time stages. The highest apple tree density was registered in orchards aged 15–24 (710 trees per hectare), followed by orchards planted 5–14 years ago (676 trees), while in orchards older than 25 years the density was the lowest (only 200 trees). Thus, it may be concluded that younger orchards consist of apple species requiring less area, for example dwarf and semi-dwarf apple trees.

In 2017, Latvian orchards still are dominated by 12 the most popular apple species which took 48 % of the total planted area of apple trees and 58 % of the total apple tree number (in 2012 those were 41 % and 51 %, respectively).

In terms of the apple tree number, Auksis still is the most popular specie the planted area whereof rose by 62.6 %, compared to 2012, and reached 288.7 ha in 2017, constituting 9 % of the total planted area of apple trees. Significant rise was registered in planted area of Konfetnoje (1.9 times), Tiina (of 47.3 %), Ligol (43.5 %), Kovaļenkovskoje (43.4 %), Baltais Dzidrais (42.4 %) and Antonovka (40.1 %). The planted area of species Lobo and Sinap Orlovskij has dropped slightly – by 3.6 % and 1 %, respectively.

Number of trees and planted area of the most popular apple tree species

	Number of trees, thousands		Panted area, thousand ha
	2017	2012	2017	2012
Total	1428.0	1334.0	3191.1	2390.5
Auksis	219.7	200.8	288.7	177.5
Antonovka	112.3	51.3	325.5	232.3
Antej	102.9	88.6	138.1	101.4
Belorusskoje Maļinovoje	75.2	65.5	99.5	90.0
Sinap Orlovskij	60.2	63.1	78.0	78.8
Kovaļenkovskoje	46.0	37.1	65.1	45.4
Rubin	45.1	46.8	67.2	51.9
Baltais Dzidrais	38.7	15.4	106.0	74.4
Konfetnoje	37.6	18.1	68.2	23.0
Lobo	28.1	61.3	53.9	55.9
Ligol	21.2	16.7	23.1	16.1
Tiina	21.0	17.1	33.3	22.6
Other	619.8	653.1	1844.5	1421.3

Orchards older than 25 years mainly are occupied by apple trees of specie Antonovka – 27.5 % of the total number of apple trees in the gardens of this age. Orchards planted over the past 25 years are dominated by the apple trees of specie Auksis. The largest share of this specie was observed in orchards aged 5–17 (13.7 %), while in younger orchards (aged under four years) this specie took 13.7 % and in orchards aged 25–24 years 18.2 %.

In line with the Regulation (EU) No. 1337/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council, orchard survey is conducted once in five years.

More information on planted area of commercial apple tree orchards will be published on 28 September in the CSB database section Crop Production.

¹ Commercial orchards – planted areas of apple trees in which apples mainly or fully are grown for sale.

Media requests:
Communication Section
E-mail: media@csb.gov.lv
Phone: +371 67366989, +371 27880666

More information on data:
Ilze Saukuma
Agricultural Statistics Section
E-mail: Ilze.Saukuma@csb.gov.lv
Phone: +371 67366895

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