Did you know more apples will be eaten in Brussels this year?

The apple was chosen as a symbol of the Polish presidency of the EU Council. Poland is the largest apples producer in Europe and 4^th largest in the world. Out of more than 70 Polish apple varieties, the ones from the Grójec region, protected by Geographical Indication, were selected for this honourable occasion. Fresh fruits will be delivered to EU summits and meetings in the next six months* [1].

Echoing efforts around the world, Poland also works on restoring and re-introducing traditional apple varieties. Ancient varieties have valuable attributes but can be susceptible to pests and diseases and are not suitable for today’s modern cultivation. Improving these using traditional breeding methods is a challenge that could lead to the loss of the genetic identity of the variety. That’s why old varieties could benefit from the use of new genomic techniques (NGTs) as these allow plant breeders to change targeted characteristics, thus improving disease resistance and productivity, while preserving traditional features.

* Poland aims to supply > 82,000 apples for meetings organised as part of its Presidency. These will be served to participants in summits and ministerial meetings in Brussels and Poland [1].

[1]: Polish apples set off for Brussels | Polish presidency - Council of the European Union