The harvesting of Candine apples is in full swing in the Ravenna area. Candine is the commercial name created from the crossbreed between Fuji and Ariane and it is a crunchy variety with a high sugar content. 

Harvesting of Candine apples

"We grow around one hectare and a half of Candine and we are very pleased with how harvesting is going. Ripening is uniform and grades are good. Operations are carried out in two main stages and what is not ripe is left on the tree," explains Luca Marconi, owner of a business in the Ravenna area. 

Thinning must be carried out when the fruit is still small to obtain good grades, then a rational fertigation plan is needed. The company chose to protect the orchard with single-threat anti-hail nets, which are also useful against insects and the brown marmorated stink bug is particular. 

Single-thread nets against insects and hail 

The orchard is three years old and production was already satisfactory last year also from a quantitative point of view.

"We will only be able to make an assessment when harvesting is over, but we have already noticed this season is very productive." 

Shelf-life tests are more than positive up to the tenth month, with a storage unit temperate of 2°C. 

Luca Marconi

Apofruit holds the production and commercialization exclusive in Italy, which should safeguard producers and guarantee satisfactory prices.