Fields – Giropoma

The role of insects in apple production

Insects play a fundamental role in the production cycle of apple trees and are part of a natural balance that must be understood, managed and preserved. Giropoma works with a model that values sustainability, biodiversity and respect for the environment, integrating practices that favor useful insects.

The main beneficial insects present in the fields are pollinators, such as bees and bumblebees, which play an essential role in the pollination process of apple blossoms. Adequate pollination contributes directly to better fruit quantity and quality, influencing aspects such as apple size and symmetry.

On the other hand, there is a great variety of insects that act as natural auxiliaries in pest control, among which the most important are the syrphids, ladybugs, lacewings and vespa parasitoids. These organisms help to reduce the presence of harmful insects in the fields in a natural way, favoring a more environmentally friendly production.

Giropoma follows the principles of integrated production, a farming system that combines agronomic efficiency with respect for the environment. Within this framework, all actions carried out in the fields are planned and executed taking into account the impact they may have on beneficial insects, with the aim of preserving the activity and ensuring continuity.

In order to conserve and improve the habitats of these insects, several concrete measures are implemented:

Plant covers with spontaneous or planted vegetation, between the lines of apple trees, implemented on all our farms.
Respect for the natural margins of the farms, which act as ecological corridors and biodiversity refuges.
Occasional installation of insect hotels on certain farms, with the aim of providing nesting and shelter spaces for useful insects.

The integration of these elements into agricultural management is part of the company’s commitment to sustainable and responsible production, which prioritizes not only product quality, but also the conservation of natural resources and biodiversity. Protecting insects is not only a necessity for production, but also a way of acting responsibly towards the territory and future generations.

Flowering and budding of apple trees: a decisive period for Giropoma production

In Giropoma‘s orchards, spring marks the beginning of a key stage in the biological cycle of apple trees: bud break and flowering. This process, which usually takes place between the end of March and the first half of April, is the starting point of the productive season and has a direct impact on the quality and quantity of the harvest.

These are mainly conditioned by the progressive increase in temperatures and the longer daylight hours typical of this time of the year. These conditions favor the emergence of the first buds and the opening of flowers, which are essential for future fruiting.

Flowering has a direct relationship with the productive potential of trees. An abundant and well-developed flowering represents a greater number of potential fruit. However, to ensure the final quality of the apple, it is essential to thin the fruit, a practice that allows the productive load to be controlled and favors the development of the best positioned specimens.

The process that transforms a flower into a quality apple depends on several key factors. First, proper fertilization is essential for the blossom to develop into fruit. Subsequently, the proper supply of nutrients and water will determine whether the fruit achieves the desired size and characteristics.

Giropoma favours biodiversity in the field for sustainable pest control

The coexistence of the greatest number of species in the same place and maintaining the balance of the ecosystem are key objectives in Giropoma‘s production. The company places special emphasis on favouring biodiversity in the field and activating useful fauna for sustainable crop growth. In this sense, the company seeks to create habitats through the development of various populations in nest boxes, insect hotels or with the conservation of trees and margins around the farms, as well as with the availability of water and the maintenance of grass between rows with a diversity of flowers. These techniques succeed in creating comfortable elements and environments for species to feed, establish refuges and reproduce.
‘These methods allow us to control the increase in pests or even bring them down to levels that do not cause damage to crops. In addition, there are species that can feed on this pest and this generates an increase in the population and, at the same time, benefits’, emphasises Cèsar Saiz, technical director of Giropoma.
All Giropoma’s fields follow the principles of the Catalan Council for Integrated Production (CCPI), choosing measures that aim to promote biodiversity -such as the installation of refuges-, the establishment of ecological compensation zones or the maintenance of the vegetation cover of the soil. Integrated production is the best system for crop protection and the basis for sustainable crop growth and pesticide risk reduction. The corporation points out that in growers’ fields there is often a large number of useful fauna, such as ladybirds, which help against pests. In addition, the CICC knows in which plots of land the products obtained following these criteria have been cultivated and what actions have been carried out in each plantation. ‘These practices are a further aid to successful production. However, they are not infallible methods and require observation of what is happening with biodiversity throughout the year,’ Saiz stresses.

Giropoma is one of the producers of the Catalan Council that since 2018 has implemented an irrigation system based on soil moisture sensors distributed throughout the production area, which through the data extracted – indicating the humidity and water available for the apple trees – and the weather forecast, allows them to give irrigation recommendations to minimise water consumption, control its correct distribution and the suitability of the means used.

In addition, the Catalan Council of Integrated Production contracts the control entities, accredited by the Spanish National Accreditation Entity (ENAC) in compliance with the EN-17.065 standard, to guarantee the monitoring of these standards. Giropoma is certified by the CCPI, so all the company’s products comply with the technical standards and regulations in force governing this agricultural production. In this line, Giropoma’s aim is to offer healthy, high quality apples, always following the values that define the company: the defence of the territory and the rural environment, respect for the environment, proximity, commitment and a commitment to people.

Giropoma forecasts a very good harvest

In February 2024, the Government declared the emergency state of drought of the Ter – Llobregat System, when the reserves were below 100 hm³ of its capacity. In May 2024, the level of reserves in the reservoirs recovered to 24.8% with 154 hm³, going from emergency status to exceptional status, with a growing trend due to floods and thawing.

While continuing to be a year marked by drought, Giropoma expects an increase in the harvest compared to the previous year.

This increase is due, in part, to the weather, which has played a crucial role in this year’s harvest. The favorable weather conditions have clustered the blooms, favoring the fruit size and a good cellular multiplication, which will be reflected in good size and shape buds. Despite initial concerns about the drought, it has not been a major constraint to fruit production.

In all, for some time now, Giropoma has been carrying out an efficient water management by using the watering system based on silt humidity sensors, a monitoring of the silt based on probes that measure the volumetric water content in the silt, and depending on this volume, it is known how much water is available.

The rainfalls of the last weeks have allowed an important water reserve and have favored the growth of the plants, arriving at the beginning of the harvest with good expectations.

All this makes it possible that Giropoma expects a very good quality of grapes, in terms of a good fermentation and an excellent content in sugars.

We hope that these positive forecasts will be maintained until the end of the harvest season, thus guaranteeing an abundant and quality production.

About Giropoma’s varieties

Giropoma currently markets 8 different varieties of pomes. The Gala, Golden, Red Delicious and Granny Smith varieties, which are under the PGI Poma de Girona, the Fuji and the club varieties, the Regalyou marketed under the Candine® brand, the Cripps Pink marketed under the Pink Lady® brand and the Cripps Red marketed under the Joya® brand.

All of them are essential to maintain a balanced and healthy diet, as they are highly moisturizing, contain vitamins and minerals, have antioxidant properties, promote the proper functioning of the digestive system thanks to the fiber they contain and help prevent cardiovascular problems and inflammatory diseases.

We hope that these positive forecasts will be maintained until the end of the harvest season, thus guaranteeing an abundant and quality production.

Giropoma predicts a good season despite the drought

Since the beginning of the 2023 campaign, with the harvest of the Gala variety, Giropoma has predicted a good apple harvest. According to data from the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) Poma de Girona, which groups the apple producing and marketing companies of the province of Girona, a harvest of 88,570 tons is expected, a figure very similar to that of the closing of the 2022 campaign.

Despite being a year marked by high temperatures and low water availability, this campaign is characterized by the high quality of the apples, good size and excellent sugar content.

In the symbolic act of the harvest of the first apple, held on August 10, 2023 and organized annually by the IGP Poma de Girona, Joan Bonany, IRTA expert, commented that drought has been a constant concern of this season, but through efficient irrigation systems and communication with irrigation communities, it has been possible to minimize its effects.

For his part, Jaume Armengol, president of the PGI Poma de Girona, shared that the drop in temperatures at night has allowed the apple to take its color and the relevant sugars.

For Giropoma, the drought has been very present at all times, but it has not been a decisive element in terms of the results of the campaign. Thanks to the irrigation system based on soil moisture sensors that the company has had in place since 2018, which consists of soil monitoring based on probes that measure the volumetric water content in the soil, and the thinning that was carried out to ensure that the fruit could reach harvest with the desired quality, it has been possible to lighten the effects of this situation.

Even so, despite the fact that the Catalan Water Agency declared an emergency for the Fluvià Muga aquifer, with the aim of preventing the 22 municipalities of Alt Empordà that depend on the aquifer from having supply problems, it has not affected apple tree production this season.

The organic production and marketing line, the Giropoma’s new commitment

Recently, Giropoma has opted for a new line of production and marketing, the organic apple, identified as GiroBio. Organic production uses biological control of pests and diseases, and favors biodiversity in plantations, with the aim of obtaining high quality products that respect the environment and human health.

This new channel has been the result of market demand and the company’s customers, who have detected the need to satisfy a segment of the population highly sensitized and aware of organic products.

In 2016, Giropoma started working on organic production in an experimental farm, with varieties of commercial interest and other varieties adapted to organic cultivation. From these, the most interesting ones for organic production were selected, from which commercial farm planting began in 2018. Years later, at the beginning of this 2023, the commercialization of this new organic line has started.

To access this market, the company has been certified by the Catalan Council of Organic Agricultural Production (CCPAE), the organic certification that guarantees that the products have been produced or elaborated following the rules of organic agriculture, and that they have been controlled throughout their production, processing, packaging and marketing process.

Giropoma is currently distributing this organic line in national supermarkets, with the aim of consolidating this new channel, combining it with conventional production, which follows the principles of integrated production. For the company, future expectations are foreseen to be successful thanks to the youth of the apple trees located in the farms of the partner-producers.

Giropoma starts planting new apple tree farms, which will last until March

This month, Giropoma has started the planting of new apple farms, which will take 1 and a half to 2 months, depending on the weather. Everything will depend on the rainfall during the next weeks, which could make it impossible to access the worked fields for a few days.

Prior to planting, the company’s producer-partners have prepared the land by working the soil to make it suitable for the trees. When the field is prepared, soil preparation compound is generally applied to improve organic matter and to favor nutrients for the plants.

Subsequent to the soil work, the location of the poles and anchors, which will form the structure of the farm, and the irrigation system are marked.

Subsequently, a trench is opened between the poles where the roots will be buried, and the wires that will support the apple trees are placed, together with the wires that will fix the trees.

Finally, the apple trees are planted and the nets are installed, which are mainly used to prevent hail damage, sunburn and help mitigate the wind.

As for the varieties that are decided to plant, they are chosen according to the needs of Giropoma and the grower, who is advised by the company with the aim of continuing to offer the best apples to consumers.

For Giropoma, teamwork and communication with grower-partners are essential to obtain good results and to guarantee quality and service.