Published in Scientific Papers. Series "Management, Economic Engineering in Agriculture and rural development", Vol. 16 ISSUE 3
Written by Agatha POPESCU

The purpose of the paper was to analyze apple contribution to fruit production and consumption in Romania. The main trends regarding the area with apple plantations, apple production, yield, consumption and price were studied, as well as Romania's position as producer and consumer of apples among the EU-28. Romania has 145.4 thousand ha covered by orchards of which 39.5% are apple tree orchards. Apple is on the top position with a share of 48 % in fruit output, which accounted for 1,115.2 thousand tons in 2014. Average apple consumption is 23.5 kg/capita, with a good self-sufficiency rate, compared to fruit consumption which is not satisfactory yet compared to other EU countries. Romania is an important fruit and mainly apple producer, coming on the 3rd position for the apple tree orchards area, on the 8th position for apple production and for the 9th position for apple consumption in the EU. An average consumption of 73.7 kg fruit/capita, meaning about 202 g of fruit/day, reflects that the Romanian population must eat more fruit according to the WHO recommendations. Due to the classic technologies applied on 64 % of the orchards plantations and only 36 % intensive plantations, apple price at the farm gate accounts for Euro 62/ton, being very high compared to other EU countries. Due to its high potential for fruit production, and especially for apple production, Romania's fruit sector must continue to growth and become more competitive under the condition as the small producers to join their efforts in associative forms allowing them to set up modern plantations, to obtain farm inputs at a lower price, to assure a modern infrastructure, to apply intensive and super-intensive growing technologies, to conclude commercial contracts with the beneficiaries and sell better their fruits, increasing the economic efficiency across the whole fruit chain. In this way, domestic production is encouraged and fruit imports can be diminished, better satisfying consumers' preference for Romanian fruits.

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