THE ECONOMICAL PROBLEMS OF APPLE STORING

At present cold-storage capacity in Hungary comprises some 300 000 tons.
Nearly 30 per cent of the total capacity belongs to the co-operatives.
These storers are small, the machinery is outdated – sometimes it has never complied with the requirements – its renovation is not expedient due to the type, situation of the storers.
Subtracting from the total capacity the space where there is no or only temporary apple-storing, we find that the cold-storage capacity does not exceed 200 000 tons at present.

In order to fulfil our exportation duties and meet the demands of the home-consumers 50 per cent of the apples grown should be stored.
This will equal to an amount of 400 000 tons in the period of 1980–1985. On the other hand, in more or less modern storers we possess the capacity of 200 000 tons.
At least this much will have to be built by 1985 at the latest.

The development funds of the farms cannot guarantee the required speed for the renewal of even the plants.
New storers and their machinery – including electric carts, modern sorters and tank-cases – require a greater subsidy from the state.

Nobody doubts any longer that storers and the necessary integument in apple-growing are as important as they are in viticulture.

Storers reduce both the decline in quality and the urgent work concentrated around the time of gathering.
Moreover, it makes keeping exportation on a certain level possible.
The effect of the storers on home-consumption will be shown by the help of table 1.

Table 1 – Apple consumption

Denomination	1965	1975	Index 1965=100
Consumption, kg/capita	16.9	22.4	132.5
Total consumption in			148.0
Budapest thousand tons	27.4	38.9	148.0
Consumption
in autumn	8.3	14.5	174.7
in winter	10.1	12.9	127.7
in spring	6.9	9.0	130.4
in summer	2.1	2.4	114.3

V Symposium on Horticultural Economics

Dr. L.Z. Kiss

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1978.77.30