England celebrates start of cider harvest
A long, hot summer has led to apples full of flavour and natural sweetness, which are “perfect for cider making”, according to the National Association of Cider Makers.
England’s cider harvest is underway, with producers anticipating a promising crop thanks to sunny spells throughout summer.
Early data from the Met Office found the UK has “almost certainly” had its hottest summer on record with heatwave temperatures on four occasions.
This year’s warm weather has delivered apples full of rich flavours and natural sweetness, which are “perfect for cider making”, according to the National Association of Cider Makers (NACM).
The UK remains the world’s largest cider market, with over 450 cider makers across the country producing from orchard to glass, and more than 700 million litres enjoyed every year.
‘A special moment’
“The harvest is a special moment, a time to reflect on all that goes into a drink with real character and connection,” said David Sheppy, NACM chair. “British cider is more than a drink. It’s orchards, farmers, makers, communities and thousands of livelihoods.”
With around 15,000 acres of cider apple orchards, the equivalent of 11,000 football pitches, the UK cider industry supports around 65,000 jobs across the UK.
This autumn, many cider makers across Devon, Hertfordshire, Somerset, Kent and Cornwall, will welcome in visitors to experience the harvest firsthand.
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Earliest crop in history
Cider producer Thatchers told BBC it has started the earliest harvest in its 120-year history due to the long, hot summer.
Thatchers managing director Martin Thatcher said the weather prompted the producer to harvest thousands of apples 10 days ahead of schedule.
“We’re just about to start our bittersweet [apples] which is unusual because we wouldn’t normally start that until September,” he said.
A warm spring led to good pollination at the company’s orchards, which meant there was a higher quantity of apples but smaller in size.
Tough times in 2024
“They are probably about two-thirds of the size we would normally expect in a year,” Thatcher added.
This is a positive turnaround from last year’s cider crop, which was significantly hit by extreme weather conditions, with the 2023 winter the eighth wettest on record in the UK.
It brought “significant challenges” to Somerset apple growers, with the producer expecting a potential shortage in apples across the county as a result.
Showerings Cider was one business impacted. Localised adverse weather, coupled with the strain of three consecutive strong harvests, has weakened apple trees thereby diminishing their output, the producer said.
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