OREANDA-NEWS The Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation expects a good harvest of apples by the end of 2024 - at the level of 1.6 million tons, and sees no need to reduce import duties, but does not exclude this measure with respect to processed products, the head of the ministry Oksana Lut told reporters at the Bioprom 24 forum.

"We expect the harvest of apples at the level of 1.6 million tons, which is slightly less than last year… We have a situation where we do not need, for example, to reduce import duties. For processed products, maybe for applesauce, or for products that are needed specifically for the production of juice, puree, then here we are looking at the possibility of applying customs and tariff regulation. But according to the marketable apple that we can buy in the store, we believe that we have a good situation, thanks to the south and the North Caucasus," she said.

The Minister expressed hope that Russian gardeners will survive the difficult season that they had this year, and will approach the next season more confidently. "And we will get a good, full-fledged apple harvest, despite the weather," Lut concluded.

Earlier, she said that due to the recurrent May frosts, the Ministry of Agriculture in early June lowered the forecast for apple harvest to 1.5 million tons from 1.8 million, but in early September raised it to 1.6 million tons. In 2023, Russian farmers harvested 1.7 million tons of apples.