Big apples: unusual weather produces fruit twice the normal size

A British supermarket is selling supersized Braeburn apples after unusual weather conditions in the spring produced a crop of giants.

The latest frost for nearly 20 years in April meant fewer apples grew, with as much as 10% of the country’s Braeburn crop affected. However, farmers were surprised to find that the reduced crop had grown to more than twice the normal size and weight.

Weighing in at an average of 450g each, the apples dwarf the typical 170g Braeburn and will be the biggest apple sold by Morrisons in living memory.

Braeburns are typically picked in the autumn and require three weeks’ rest at chilled temperatures to sweeten. The cold April stopped apple trees from flowering fully, limiting the pollination essential for fruit growth. However, favourable conditions later in the growing season gave a nutrient boost to the remaining apples which had got off to an early start, allowing them to grow to their giant size.

Despite not meeting its usual specifications, the retailer has decided to take the giant-sized crop from its British growers and 120,000 apples will go on sale over the next fortnight.

“These giant British Braeburn apples offer great value,” said Mark Booth, apple expert at Morrisons. “Our relationship with our growers meant we were able to take the whole crop from our apple farmers and ensure these huge but delicious apples are eaten.”

Melvyn Newman, a grower from Howfield Farm, Chartham in Kent said. “Over a third of our Braeburns this year are a much bigger size, and with a smaller crop overall it would have been heartbreaking to leave oversized fruit on the trees when they are just as tasty and with better colour.”

The move is the latest to reduce waste in the supply chain and spare British growers from dumping imperfect but perfectly edible apples. When temperatures dropped to -4C in April it caused a blemish known as “frost ring”, which leaves a mark around the circumference or large marks on the skin of the apples.

The Bramley cooking apple crop was particularly badly hit, but Tesco announced in September that it would relax its normally tight specifications to ensure the crop goes on sale.