This week, The English Apple Man takes a close look at the comprehensive Census carried out by BAPL(British Apples and Pears. Under the leadership of Ali Capper, Chair of BAPL and a very experienced apple and pear industry figurehead for a decade or more now!
Supported by a strong board of directors encompassing leading growers and fruit industry representatives, BAPL has over the last few years increased annually the pressure on Government and Supermarkets by raising the awareness of the top fruit industry's 'state of health'
As part of its long-term strategic planning, British Apples & Pears Limited (BAPL), the top fruit grower organisation, has conducted two in-depth studies (orchard census and storage survey) of current and future UK apple and pear orchard infrastructure.
The orchard census and storage survey results reveal the growth potential of British apples and pears, the potential risks of inaction and what practical steps are needed to secure the sector's long-term success.
BAPL
Orchard and Storage Census Report 2025
Data collected by British Apples & Pears Limited (BAPL) from UK top fruit growers
This Census and the associated report covers a multitude of data, outlining the success of the British apple & pear industry over the last 25 years and the great risk of a backward step caused by circumstances beyond the control of our top fruit industry.
Extract 1
"British apple and pear orchard hectarage has been stable for almost 10 years (5,577 hectares in 2016 compared to 5,532 hectares in 2025). However, 2023 and 2024 were two of the three lowest hectarage years.
Furthermore, in the last five years, an average of 213 hectares of apple orchards were planted each year. In the next three years, only 145 hectares are planned to be planted with new trees - a 32% drop versus the five-year average. This is not because growers already have lots of young, productive trees. In fact, 12% of all British apple orchards and 55% of all British pear orchards are more than 21 years old.
To simply maintain the current hectarage of apple orchards, UK growers would need to plant 369 hectares of new orchards each year. They are planning less than half that (145 hectares). At that rate, we would have half the orchards we have today in just 12 years (2037).
Extract 2
At a time when climate change affects import availability and price, and when healthy eating and UK food security should be top of the agenda, growers are holding back on orchard expansion. Without a strong business case to invest in new trees, the sector will decline -reducing the availability of fresh British apples and pears.
"Supermarkets must commit to the British top fruit industry now, before it's too late. "Said Ali Capper, executive chair of BAPL. "They can't rely on imports when climate change and geopolitical events will undoubtedly lead to scarcity. With long-term retailer commitments, growers can invest and ensure the future of British orchards and fruit supply. But it needs to happen now, before we start to lose our wonderful British apples and pears."
Extract 3
Key apple findings of the BAPL orchard census survey include:
BAPL survey responders have 4,120 hectares of apple orchards, with more than 9 million trees or 2,231 trees per hectare. Survey responders represented 92% of the picked crop of British apples and pears, therefore we estimate that commercial orchards hold over 10 million trees.
In total, more than 70 apple varieties are being grown in British commercial orchards, with 36 different varieties planted in the last five years alone.
Gala is grown in 30% of all apple orchards and Braeburn in 11%. These are the most dominant varieties.
However, Braeburn and Gala are declining. Braeburn was 20% of all apple orchards 11-15 years ago, it is 11% today. Gala was 54% of all apple orchards 11-15 years ago, today it is 38%. This is a symptom of the declining profitability of these varieties.
Recent planting (within the last five years) has seen big investment in Jazz, (139 hectares), Pink Lady (100 hectares), Magic Star (80 hectares) and Cameo (43 hectares). Even 38 hectares of Cox, one of the oldest apple varieties was planted in the last five years.
English Apple Man - Comment: Margins on volume varieties like Gala and Braeburn are slim, forward looking growers are planting Club varieties like: Jazz, Pink Lady where production is controlled to match the consumer demand.
Extract 4
Key pear findings of the BAPL tree census survey include:
BAPL survey responders have 702 hectares pear orchards with just over 1 million trees or 1,438 trees per hectare.
The Conference variety accounts for 93% of all pear orchard hectares, but there are actually 10 different varieties of pear being grown commercially in the UK.
More than half (55%) of all Conference pear orchards are over 21 years old
In the last five years an average of just 20 hectares of pear orchards were planted per year.
No growers surveyed are planning on planting any new pear trees in the UK in 2026 or 2027. Pears are simply not profitable for UK growers due to low returns.
Extract 5
The BAPL surveys also revealed that 840 hectares of apple and pear orchards currently lie fallow; they are either not currently planted or being replanted. While the industry would expect around 5-10% of orchards to be 'resting' between old and new plantings at any one time, 840 hectares is 15% of the total UK commercial orchard hectarage. This represents a missed opportunity for orchard expansion that would not involve having to increase farmland area.
Once apples and pears are harvested, they are either transported straight to packhouses and then on to supermarkets or put into controlled storage for sales later in the year. Apples and pears store incredibly well, with no discernible difference between freshly picked and straight out of store fruit.
The orchard census clearly indicates that the sector has the potential to expand production. But, to do that, British apple and pear growers need the storage capacity to keep the fruit fresh until it's needed. BAPL undertook a major study into the sector’s storage capacity to inform future growth plans.
Extract 6
Key findings from the BAPL storage survey:
Storage survey responders represent around 81% of the total picked crop of British apples and pears. Between them, they have 1,203 stores, which can hold 197,271 tonnes of fruit. That's around 1.874 billion apples and pears.
The vast majority (81%) of apple and pear stores are controlled atmosphere stores. However, more than half (63%) of all stores are over 15 years old. The newest stores have the best energy efficiency, which can help to reduce costs.
While the current storage capacity is appropriate for existing harvest quantities, more investment is needed to both replace old stores and build new stores to meet future growth targets.
Unfortunately, growers lack confidence to make these investments. Asked why they were not planning new storage builds, BAPL survey respondents said:
"We do not have the confidence to invest in the business."
"Long term investment plans are up in the air and involve the discussion with the next generation and whether they are wanting to invest."
"Investment
We urgently need a policy and retail environment that supports long-term investment and growth, or we risk losing a vital part of British farming."
To achieve the sector's growth ambitions and, at the same time, meet the UK's food security, national health targets, as well as grow the rural economy and support rural employment, BAPL is asking:
For retailers:
To engage in long term commitments and contracts that enable growers to invest in new orchards and new storage facilities
For government:
To increase the Annual Investment Allowance from £1 million to £10 million to support meaningful investment and efficiency improvements in growing systems, harvesting, grading, packing and storage.
To include apple growers, stores and packhouses in the energy discounts planned for the manufacturing sector.
To ensure that increasing numbers of seasonal workers are available to hand pick the apples and pears in British orchards
To ensure the continuity of funding for members of PO schemes and provide clear policy direction on how the end of the scheme will be managed
"We face a watershed moment," said Ali Capper. "We can either stand by and watch the gradual decline of the nation's orchards, or - with the right collaboration between growers, retailers, and government - we can become a farming and food security success story. It's time to invest and grow these businesses."
<1> Assumes 15-year productive orchard life
<2> Assumes 9,500 apples or pears per tonne
The English Apple Man publishes this Census Report because it is a clear indicator of what needs to be actioned by Government and the Supermarkets if the British apple and pear industry is to survive. The health of the Nation and the choice of eating 'home grown apples and pears' is very much in the balance!
Click on: Orchard and Storage Census Report 2025
That is all for this week
Take care
The English Apple Man