Apple harvesting 2024

Harvesting begins in most apple orchards, with a smaller harvest than estimated.

They have begun to pick apples in the 250 apple orchards of the EuskalSagardoa Denomination of Origin.

It is expected that 30% will be collected compared to 2023.

Apple picking for the Euskal Sagardoa Denomination of Origin has begun in most of the apple orchards in Gipuzkoa, Bizkaia and Araba, and in the coming days and weeks they will be picking apples in the rest of the apple orchards. In 2024, a smaller harvest is expected than in 2023. The type of apple, the area, the point of maturity and the tastes of the cider makers will determine the exact harvest time, but from September to November all the native apples will be harvested, both in Gipuzkoa as in Bizkaia and also in Álava. Due to the rains of recent weeks, maturity has been delayed a bit so most apple growers will begin harvesting this weekend.

The Euskal Sagardoa Denomination of Origin has presented all this data today in the Etxezabal apple orchard in Irun. In addition to explaining the details of the harvest, the sector has announced the study projects surrounding the apple. Those responsible for the Basque Government and the Provincial Council have underlined their commitment to the Designation of Origin. Participating in the press conference were, among others, Ainhoa Larrea, member of the EuskalSagardo Denomination of Origin and the Fruitel Association; Aitor Etxeandia, technician of the Fruitel Association; Iker Iglesias, director of Quality and Food Industries of the Basque Government; Mikel Azpiri, Technician of the Department of Agriculture and Territorial Balance of the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa, and UnaiAgirre, coordinator of the EuskalSagardoa Denomination of Origin.

As last year's harvest was abundant, it could be expected that this would be smaller and so it has been. In addition, the little cold that the apple orchards have accumulated in winter and the heat stroke they suffered in August have caused a greater decrease. When the harvests are small, the apple normally has a greater amount of sugar, but this year, due to the summer rains, they will have a similar alcohol content to last year. Due to the rains, maturity is also quite delayed and in most apple orchards they will begin to pick the apples on the weekend.

Although it is too early to provide concrete data, it is expected that 2 million kilos will be collected in the apple orchards destined for EuskalSagardoa. Every year there are more apples in the native apple orchards, as existing apple orchards are cared for and new ones are planted. In this sense, the Euskal Sagardoa Denomination of Origin is intertwining agreements between producers and cider houses, since long-term collaboration is the best way to increase local production, strengthen the sectors, position the products and guarantee quality.

In this sense, the Euskal Sagardoa Denomination of Origin calls on producers interested in growing apples to contact the cider makers and the Denomination of Origin in advance to seek agreements and manage these agreements in advance.

THE OBJECTIVE OF INCREASE INDIGENOUS APPLE PRODUCTION

Within Euskal Sagardoa there are currently 250 apple producers with about 500 hectares of apple orchards. All of these apples are taken to the 47 cider houses of the Designation of Origin to produce EuskalSagardoa. In addition, there are another 155 hectares, which have just come into production or will begin to produce in the coming years. The majority of these apple orchards have been planted in the territory of Gipuzkoa, most with the help of the Provincial Council, and some also in Bizkaia and Álava. Work is also being done on the professionalization of the apple sector, hand in hand with the Provincial Councils, towards balanced and quality harvests. In recent years, great steps have been taken driven by EuskalSagardoa and in the coming years it will be essential to continue advancing in apple production, both in favor of quality and quantity. In fact, the sector and the administration set a clear objective in the creation of the Designation of Origin: to produce all the cider under the EuskalSagardoa seal with native apples in 15 years. However, in some apple orchards there is a problem, the lack of generational change, which has been evident in recent years: the lack of people to take care of the apple orchards and pick the apple, and increasingly less presence of young people who work in the apple orchards. hamlets. An issue that the Denomination of Origin has also addressed in collaboration with administrations, in search of future opportunities.

ENTRANCE OF IPARRALDE AND NAVARRA

The Euskal Sagardoa Denomination of Origin is working with the apple and cider sectors of Navarra and Iparralde so that they are also integrated into the Denomination of Origin. The process will take time, but it is on the right track. Once all the territories are in the Denomination of Origin, the Denomination of Origin will have more apple production capacity and an increase in cider makers and cider makers for the EuskalSagardoa. The apple producer and cider maker Patxi, from Iparralde, and the apple producer Lander Sagaseta from Nafarroa were present at today's press conference.

STRATEGIC PROJECTS

In this sense, in addition to the implementation of new apple orchards, in 2021 the apple sector of the Denomination of Origin presented three priority projects to be technically developed, which have subsequently been tested, with the collaboration of the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa, in addition to other projects that have been launched this year:

1) Use of Geneva patterns: The project to use Geneva patterns in cider apple is underway. It is expected that entry into production will be faster, that there will be fewer problems with laphytorphthora and that machining will be easier.

2) Pollination: the apple needs other apple varieties to be pollinated and knowing the pollination capacity between the different apple varieties is essential when planning new apple orchards. The sector studies the ability of native apple types to pollinate, together with the Fruitel association. The project has been carried out in collaboration with UPNA and the main results already exist.

3) Thinning: In years when there are a lot of apples, it is important to remove part of the apple production so that each year the harvests are more balanced. In recent years, thinning trials have been carried out with different types of varieties and in different apple orchards. The first results are available.

4) The soil: More and more importance is given to the composition of the soil. The training of the producing sector is essential so that in addition to balancing the harvests, there is a quality apple. The apple sector has carried out different courses in recent years.

Different types of apple

The Euskal Sagardoa Denomination of Origin has 106 varieties of apple authorized, with 24 being the most used, between sweet and sour. Each cider house seeks the mixture and cider of its taste. These are the 24 main apple varieties of apple used in EuskalSagardoa:

• SOUR:
• ERREZILA
• GOIKOETXE
• TXALAKA
• URTEBI HAUNDI
• FRANTZES SAGARRA
• BOSTKANTOI
• HARITZA
• AZPEITI SAGARRA 
• MANTTONI
• IBARRA
• BITTER:
• GEZAMIÑA
• URDIN
• MOZOLOA
• PATZULOA
• MIKATZA
• UDARE MARROI
• TXORI SAGARRA
• SOUR-BITTER:
• MOKO
• LIMOI
• MERABI
• MOKOTE
• URTEBETE
• URTEBI TXIKI
• SALTXIPI

With the incorporation of Iparralde and Navarra the number of native apple varieties will rise to 250. 

Upcoming events

Sagar Uzta on September 29 in Astigarraga

Organized by Sagardoaren Lurraldea, Sagar Uzta will be held from September 26 to 29, within the Udazken Zaporeaz initiative, in Astigarraga. The main activity is the XXIII. Sagar Uzta will be held on Sunday, September 29, in Sagardoetxea and in the Plaza de Astigarraga itself, with a demonstration of apple picking, tasting of must and cider and much more for those who come. On the same day there will be numerous activities and the days before and after as well. All the information on the website www.sagardoarenlurraldea.eus.

Cider Week at Igartubeiti

The Igartubeiti Farmhouse Museum of Ezkio-Itsaso will celebrate Cider Week from October 9 to 19 with the launch of its winery, in its 22nd edition. It is the only opportunity of the year to see the apple pressing live. The event includes dramatizations and kirikoketa exhibitions. Following Igartubeiti's commitment to sustainability, all pressed apples will be from Ezkio-Itsaso. Registration is required, as places are limited. Reservations can be made by calling 943 72 29 78 or at igartubeiti@gipuzkoa.eus. All the information on the website www.igartubeitibaserria.eus

Sagar Uzta on September 29 at the Ola cider house

The neighborhood of Meaka in Irun will also host the Sagar Uzta festival, on September 29. The Ola cider house will organize its annual party from 11:30 to 2:30. There will be an apple exhibition, must production with minors, tasting of new must and cider, etc., throughout the morning.

Additional information

Euskal Sagardoa Denomination of Origin

The Euskal Sagardoa Denomination of Origin is a present and future project, promoted by the apple and cider sector of Euskadi and its corresponding administrations. Its main objective is to offer the apple and cider sector a solid foundation; and to the consumer a local product of certified quality. In this way, the Euskal Sagardoa Denomination of Origin has been based on two fundamental pillars: origin and quality.

● Local apple: The Euskal Sagardoa Denomination of Origin has 106 approved varieties, of which 24 are the most used. These varieties are the main treasure of the cider sector, transferred over centuries, with the aim of preserving the natural and cultural heritage. 

● Quality: EuskalSagardoa offers us all the guarantee of quality, from the apple orchard to the bottle. The diras with the Euskal Sagardoa Designation of Origin must pass the corresponding physical-chemical and organoleptic analyses, a process controlled by the HaziFundazioa Foundation. 

Euskal Sagardoa Catalog

Cider houses that make up the catalog: 

● Araba:Kuartango.

● Bizkaia:Axpe / Etxebarria / Uxarte.

● Gipuzkoa: Aburuza / Akarregi / Alorrenea / Altzueta / Altuna / Añota / Araeta / Astarbe / Barkaiztegi / Begiristain / Bereziartua / Egi-Luze / Eguzkitza / Ekain / Etxeberria / Eula / Gartziategi / Gaztañaga / Gurutzeta / Iparragirre / Ipintza / Irigoien / Iruekhi / Isastegi/ Itxasburu / Izeta / Larrarte / Lizeaga / Mizpiradi / Oianume / Oiharte / Ola / Petritegi / Saizar / Sarasola / Satxota / Tximista / Txindurri-Iturri / Urbitarte / Urdaira / Zabala / Zapiain / Zelaia.

The cider sector is a living sector, the complete change of processes and new products. Every detail of these products is reflected in this catalogue, which encompasses the characteristics of each cider house, its history and its ciders. This catalog can be found at euskalsagardoa.eus/katalogoa.

History of cider and its evolution

Cider has been the drink of the Basque Country for centuries. Ancient writings and references tell us that this ancient drink has been part of the Basques diet for centuries.

In the 15th-16th centuries, cider consumption had a great boom, since the Basque Country was a large industrial area and the number of people who lived there consumed cider. The winery farms, large cider production industries, have their origin in this consumption. According to some documents, there were more than 1,000 in Araba, Bizkaia, Gipuzkoa, Iparralde and Nafarroa. Today, we have an example that is still in operation in Ezkio, the Igartubeiti winery farm. 

Among others, cider has been the drink of our sailors on their long voyages to Newfoundland. Due to its habitual consumption and its properties, sailors were not affected as much by scurvy. 

Cider enjoyed a high rate of consumption after the war, in the 50s and 60s, as the farmhouses emptied. There were some who maintained the tradition and thanks to this the concept of cider house that is maintained today resurfaced again. 

The Euskal Sagardoa Denomination of Origin has an objective that is being met year after year: that the local apple is once again the axis of local cider and the quality of the product.

Basque Cider Route

Euskal Sagardoaren Ibilbidea collaborates with Euskal Sagardoa to enjoy the history, evolution and other activities of cider. This is the sector agency that promotes seasonal actions and highlights the primary sector. The Basque Cider Route has three types of offer; vacation offer, offer for companies and offer for schools. The latter has experienced a great boom throughout this year, since through the teaching units the youngest people gain practical knowledge of the world of apples.

In the middle of the apple harvest season, activities are proposed to do in the apple orchard: APPLE JUICE WORKSHOP, a wide proposal for families and schools: We will teach you how you can make your own cider. We start by picking the apple with the kizki and transporting it to the winepress, where we will make juice with a matxaka and a manual press. Finally, we will taste the extracted juice. At the end of the activity, we will go to a cider house where we will taste different ciders with the option of a traditional menu or a children's menu. More information: www.sagardoa.eus