Apples

Availability

The following varieties of NZ apples are harvested between February and May:

• • Ambrosia™
  • Ballarat
  • Braeburn
  • Cox’s Orange
  • Dazzle (RT)
  • Envy
  • Fuji
  • Gala
  • Genesis™
  • Golden Delicious
  • Granny Smith
  • Jazz™
  • Lemonade
  • Mahana Red™
  • Mariri Red
  • Pacific Beauty™
  • Pacific Queen™
  • Pacific Rose™
  • Pink Lady (RT)
  • Red Delicious
  • Royal Gala
  • Southern Snap
  • SweetTango™

Storage and Handling

Store in the refrigerator. Handle all fresh produce with care and wash before eating.

History

It is believed that silk traders first brought the apple to ancient Rome from Kazakhstan where the trees were cultivated and prized for their fruit. Romans took the cultivated fruit with them to England when they conquered the country. Apple-growing then became common in England and many other parts of Europe.

There is also evidence dating back to the Iron Age that apples were eaten and preserved in prehistoric lake dwellings in Switzerland.

Earliest writings by inhabitants from China and Egypt mention that man was budding and grafting fruit trees as early as the first century.

Facts

• In 2020 New Zealand exported 400,477 tonnes of apples 
• There are more than 7500 varieties of apples grown worldwide
• Fresh apples float because they contain 25% air
• Like pears, apples are “pome” fruit

Growing Facts

• Most apples sold commercially are grown from trees that consist of two parts grafted together
• A farmer takes a cutting from a healthy tree of a particular apple variety and grafts it on to the roots of other apple trees (rootstock), which are good at growing
• Farmers do this to reduce the amount of damage from temperature extremes, pests and disease
• The fruit that is grown will be the same variety as the cutting, not the rootstock
• In New Zealand, Nelson, Hawkes Bay and Otago are the main growing regions, although apples are grown in many other parts of New Zealand

Nutrition Information

1 apple - 130g

Source: FOODfiles 2016