PAST AND FUTURE OF THE APRICOT OF KECSKEMÉT

In 100 years prior to the middle of our century the apricot of Kecskemét /Kecskeméti barack/ as fruit and brandy achieved a commercial reputation on European markets.
In those times apricot was grown on poor sandy soils, between vine and tree severely damages by apoplexy.
Trees of high or mid-high trunks and the varieties Rózsa more tolerant to frosts were used generally.
Their fruits appeared on markets of western countries when apricots from warmer lands had been harvested.
That fact, of course, facilitated marketing.
Cultivation with relatively little investment could assure a sufficiently reliable yield and good income.

After decades of declining we aim at reviving the abundance of apricot products of Kecskemét.
But some changes in view are needed:

• the upper limit of plantation size ought to be examined to reduce damages of local frost and lack of working capacity;

• plantation of apricot trees ought to be continuous as long as apoplexy cannot be eliminated;

• the possibility of intercropping ought to be considered under up-to-date conditions to increase security in yield and reliable income;

• mainly resistant, late Rózsa varieties of good market quality ought to be bred and grown;

• market choice ought to be enlarged by introducing new products /special apricot jam/;

VIII International Symposium on Apricot Culture and Decline

F. Frigyesy

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1986.192.65