Despite the heat waves that hit Quebec at the end of the summer, apple growers in the province expect a normal season in terms of production.
Éric Rochon, an apple grower in Mirabel and president of the Quebec Apple Growers Association, says the apple season, which began on Aug. 28 and continues until mid-October, should be prolific.
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“All in all, we are expecting a year that is as good as it gets,” says Rochon. “That means beautiful, tasty fruit with few disease problems. There has been no hail in any of Quebec’s apple-growing regions. So we are still expecting a very good year,” he adds.
The Laurentians, the greater Quebec City area, the Montérégie and the Eastern Townships are among the province’s apple-producing regions.
Rochon explains that conditions were “fantastic” this summer until July 20. However, from the end of July and throughout August, heat waves and drought affected the quality of the apples.
“The trees lacked water. However, in the new plantations, we are able to compensate for this lack with irrigation,” explains the producer.
In 2024, Quebec experienced a year of “abundance” in terms of apple production, points out Rochon.
“We had larger volumes of apples that we were able to sell throughout the winter and part of the summer. What’s fantastic right now is that we’ve been able to sell all those apples, and we’re starting again this year, with the new season, to get fresh apples into the shops,” he explains.
Last year, Quebec produced 6.3 million bushels of apples, and Rochon expects the province to produce 5.8 million this year. A normal year yields between 5.5 and 5.8 million bushels of apples, according to the producer.
A bushel, the unit of measurement used in the industry, is approximately 19 kilograms. Quebec is Canada’s second-largest apple producer, behind Ontario.
Rochon hopes that the rest of the season will not be too hot, as high temperatures make picking more difficult. Heat makes apples more fragile, so special care must be taken when picking them. In addition, when it is hot, fewer people come to pick their own apples in the orchards, as it feels less like autumn.
“We want cold nights so that the apples don’t lose their colour, and sunny days,” said Rochon.
The president of Quebec Apple Producers points out that apple varieties ripen at different times of the season and invites the public to come and discover new types of apples in the orchards.
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews
