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The future of apple production in Val Venosta
is guaranteed by many young producers who believe in agriculture
Martin Innerhofer and Barbara Alber
17/01/2022
The future of Val Venosta Apples is ensured by young producers who believe in agriculture. This sector does not only attract them because of its long tradition, but also because it is competitive, rich in challenges and internationally at the highest level. The job of an apple producer is thus very attractive for young people in Val Venosta.
This is an extraordinary guarantee of continuity for VIP, the Val Venosta Cooperatives Association that unites 1,600 member businesses in Val Venosta, and its distribution partners and other partners of the production chain. VIP’s young producers are very enthusiastic and confident that they will be able to produce apples of the highest quality for both the national and international market in future as well.
Barbara Alber is just one example of this reality. She is 25 years old and has worked in her father’s agricultural business, Köstenplon in Castelbello, for two years. Barbara says: “I know many young men and women who, like me, are starting to take the reins of the family business and devote themselves to producing apples with great passion. It is a hard job but one of the most beautiful ones on earth. I’ve never had any doubts because I always wanted to become an apple producer.”
There are many reasons for this: Barbara Alber loves working “in the nature and with nature”, the variety of the job and continuing a tradition passed down through generations for about two centuries.
The Köstenplon agricultural business produces “classical” varieties such as Golden Delicious and Red Delicious, but also two “new” varieties: envy™ and Kissabel®. The Alber family was, in fact, one of the first producers of the area to grow envy™ apples. “Cultivating apple varieties you don’t have a lot of experience with is a risk,” explains Barbara. “We producers are well aware of this fact but are not afraid of it because we always want to be one step ahead in terms of varietal assortment and quality. Choosing the right varieties represents a challenge that involves numerous attempts and adaptations.” There are risks and challenges but also great opportunities. “We would like to produce apples that also young consumers and the consumers of tomorrow like and these apples have the potential to satisfy their expectations. Moreover, it would be a real shame not to take advantage of all the investments in varietal innovation of the last 15 years”, says Barbara.
The future of Val Venosta Apples is ensured by young producers who believe in agriculture. This sector does not only attract them because of its long tradition, but also because it is competitive, rich in challenges and internationally at the highest level. The job of an apple producer is thus very attractive for young people in Val Venosta.
This is an extraordinary guarantee of continuity for VIP, the Val Venosta Cooperatives Association that unites 1,600 member businesses in Val Venosta, and its distribution partners and other partners of the production chain. VIP’s young producers are very enthusiastic and confident that they will be able to produce apples of the highest quality for both the national and international market in future as well.
Barbara Alber is just one example of this reality. She is 25 years old and has worked in her father’s agricultural business, Köstenplon in Castelbello, for two years. Barbara says: “I know many young men and women who, like me, are starting to take the reins of the family business and devote themselves to producing apples with great passion. It is a hard job but one of the most beautiful ones on earth. I’ve never had any doubts because I always wanted to become an apple producer.”
There are many reasons for this: Barbara Alber loves working “in the nature and with nature”, the variety of the job and continuing a tradition passed down through generations for about two centuries.
The Köstenplon agricultural business produces “classical” varieties such as Golden Delicious and Red Delicious, but also two “new” varieties: envy™ and Kissabel®. The Alber family was, in fact, one of the first producers of the area to grow envy™ apples. “Cultivating apple varieties you don’t have a lot of experience with is a risk,” explains Barbara. “We producers are well aware of this fact but are not afraid of it because we always want to be one step ahead in terms of varietal assortment and quality. Choosing the right varieties represents a challenge that involves numerous attempts and adaptations.” There are risks and challenges but also great opportunities. “We would like to produce apples that also young consumers and the consumers of tomorrow like and these apples have the potential to satisfy their expectations. Moreover, it would be a real shame not to take advantage of all the investments in varietal innovation of the last 15 years”, says Barbara.
Not far away we meet Martin Innerhofer, another young apple producer. What he shares with Barbara is his agricultural training and the passion for this job. Martin also works fulltime in his parents’ agricultural business, the Pitschenhof in Morter in the municipality of Laces, and is gradually taking over the business.
“Agriculture is not without its risks. Unfortunately, climate is not always on our side or there are new parasites that add further uncertainty. The most important thing is observing with attention and then acting appropriately,” explains Martin. “Hail protection nets have, for example, become indispensable due to increasingly frequent hailstorms in Val Venosta. So a well-protected apple orchard is a guarantee to supply our clients with high-quality apples.”
The Pitschenhof in Morter and the Köstenplon in Castelbello differ, however, in one point: Martin’s family business produces organic apples, whereas Barbara’s family grows apples from integrated production. The cornerstones of business management, the vision, the values and the ambitions that set their goals and guide their actions, however, are the same: guaranteeing a sustainable agriculture of the highest level and facing the challenges including the crucial one of new varieties in full respect of nature and consumers.
Barbara and Martin agree that agriculture has to be brave, transparent and open: “Today, it is necessary to explain the work behind an apple as clearly as possible. You have to inform people why some treatments are indispensable in some cases and under certain conditions to avoid that pathogens destroy the whole harvest of some varieties or even the trees and why some varieties are suitable for organic production and others are not.” “For our part, we like talking about our work whenever we have the possibility to and so we feel like some kind of apple ambassadors.”
These two young apple producers have a close relationship with both their cooperative and VIP, which is a cornerstone of their activity: “Being a part of VIP allows us to fully concentrate on production. We know that we can devote all our attention to production and that our apples are afterwards in the best hands.”
“Agriculture is not without its risks. Unfortunately, climate is not always on our side or there are new parasites that add further uncertainty. The most important thing is observing with attention and then acting appropriately,” explains Martin. “Hail protection nets have, for example, become indispensable due to increasingly frequent hailstorms in Val Venosta. So a well-protected apple orchard is a guarantee to supply our clients with high-quality apples.”
The Pitschenhof in Morter and the Köstenplon in Castelbello differ, however, in one point: Martin’s family business produces organic apples, whereas Barbara’s family grows apples from integrated production. The cornerstones of business management, the vision, the values and the ambitions that set their goals and guide their actions, however, are the same: guaranteeing a sustainable agriculture of the highest level and facing the challenges including the crucial one of new varieties in full respect of nature and consumers.
Barbara and Martin agree that agriculture has to be brave, transparent and open: “Today, it is necessary to explain the work behind an apple as clearly as possible. You have to inform people why some treatments are indispensable in some cases and under certain conditions to avoid that pathogens destroy the whole harvest of some varieties or even the trees and why some varieties are suitable for organic production and others are not.” “For our part, we like talking about our work whenever we have the possibility to and so we feel like some kind of apple ambassadors.”
These two young apple producers have a close relationship with both their cooperative and VIP, which is a cornerstone of their activity: “Being a part of VIP allows us to fully concentrate on production. We know that we can devote all our attention to production and that our apples are afterwards in the best hands.”
