Top fruit

For many decades the Cox apple was the mainstay of UK top fruit production along with the culinary Bramley.  Today both are in decline as tastes change.  For dessert apples, the higher yielding, better storing and firmer fruited Gala and Braeburn apples are most popular along with newer varieties such as Jazz.  Asplins PO produce all of these varieties, with the dessert apples destined for fresh retail sales and Bramley apples mostly sold for processing.

UK pear production has always lagged behind apple production and our pear volumes echo this.  The Conference variety has long been the mainstay of this sector, with the newer Concorde variety also popular.  There are many older pear varieties with lovely names and two of the minor varieties we do grow are Doyenne du Comice and Beurre Hardy.

Did you know?  Pear trees traditionally took many years to come into full production and the trees have a long life, with many orchards today over 50 years old.  Hence the fruit growers’ saying ‘Plant pears for your heirs’.