Anticipated High-Grade Apple Yield at Lake Constance

Lake Constance Apples Take Centre Stage at Opening Ceremony

The Lake Constance apple season kicked off in style at Obsthof Steffelin in Markdorf-Ittendorf, with State Secretary Sabine Kurtz emphasising the challenges facing the fruit industry, but also highlighting the good apple quality and sizes achieved in the region.

Kurtz, the State Secretary for Food, Rural Areas and Consumer Protection, emphasised the importance of serving and strengthening regional and supraregional markets, as well as tapping into new markets with added value potential, for the fruit industry.

The Wuerttembergische Obstgenossenschaft Raiffeisen e.G. (WOG) and Marktgemeinschaft Bodenseeobst e.G. (MaBo) are bundling fruit from around 600 producer operations in Baden-Württemberg for the regional campaign 'Naturally.VON DAHEIM'. This marketing concept aims to make their apples stand out through regionality and sharpen the unique profile of apples.

The State Secretary's department has a special promotion instrument available with the European Union's program for supporting producer organizations in the fruit and vegetable sector. This program includes the promotion of stone fruit plantings, hail protection nets, and irrigation systems for the fruit industry.

The FAIRDI project, a European-funded agricultural project (EFRE/Ziel ETZ 2014–2020), is focused on making the regional value chain of Lake Constance apples fairer and more transparent. It combines fair trade principles with digitalisation of processes to establish a visible "Fair Fruits" label and strengthen sustainability.

The FAIRDI project focuses on promoting biological diversity and reducing plant protection measures. The Lake Constance fruit region is involved in this sustainability project.

Several supporting producer organisations and associations are working on the FAIRDI project, including the Verband Süddeutscher Spargel- und Erdbeeranbauer e.V. (VSSE), Fördergemeinschaft Bodensee-Obst (FOB), Regionalwert AG Bodensee, Bodensee-Stiftung, and Kartoffelerzeugervereinigung Oberschwaben (KEVO).

For the latest and most accurate list of supporting organisations, it is recommended to contact the VSSE, FOB, or Bodensee-Stiftung directly. The FAIRDI project aims to create a transparent, fair, and digital network of producers, processors, and consumers around Lake Constance apples.

For more information, please visit the official FAIRDI project website or check regional media for updates on the project's progress and participating organisations.