A user posts a picture of Kanzi brand apples . There is an indignant text in it that accuses SPAR of being irresponsible to import them from South Africa when “half of Austria is almost suffocating on its own apples!!!” (sic!) How can SPAR be responsible, that’s what it says Text that the fruit has to travel 14,000 km, and on the other hand the company suggests regionality and environmental awareness to the outside world.
SPAR’s reaction
SPAR promptly responded directly to the post with this comment:
"Thank you for your comment!
We already know the photo for your post and is from 2019. Kanzi apples are no longer sold at SPAR Austria. As one of the largest partners and buyers of local agriculture, we always give preference to local apples. As long as apples from Austria are available, we will of course offer them. Over the summer months, when the domestic stock is running out and is no longer sufficient to meet our customers' year-round demand, we also source goods from abroad. As soon as apples from Austria are available again in sufficient quantities, we will offer them again. By the way, we sell around 15 million kilograms of Austrian apples throughout the year. Best regards"
According to SPAR, regionality and environmental awareness are actually very important. Only when the domestic storage apples are running out will fruit be imported from abroad.
What is the ecological balance of apples?
It is of course clear that the best way to harvest apples is from the tree in your own garden or in the nearest meadow. And it goes without saying that it is better to consume local fruit from a fruit farmer. However, if we as consumers want to bite into a fresh, crisp apple all year round, that becomes problematic. The harvest time for this fruit in our latitudes is from August to October. Of course, apples can be stored, but storing them costs a lot of energy.
Who would have thought: stored apples use a quarter more energy than those from overseas! After harvesting, they have to be permanently cooled down to 1 degree Celsius. In addition, they have to be deprived of oxygen so that their maturation slows down.
The food expert Katarina Schickling writes:
“Because the (apple, editor's note) was in a cold store for so long and was sprayed with moisture so that it was still as crisp in April as it was immediately after the harvest. That the ecological balance of the Chilean apple, which was freshly harvested and only traveled a little by ship, might then be better than that of the German apple.”
Source: br.de
How do apples get to us from overseas?
Will e.g. For example, if papayas are brought to us from overseas, they have to be flown in by plane due to their rapid perishability. Since apples have a longer shelf life, they can be brought to us in container ships over several weeks. Because in South Africa or New Zealand the seasons are different than here. If it's summer here, it's winter there and vice versa. It is therefore ideal to swap apples with these regions during different seasons.
What can we contribute to a good ecological balance?
Here it is important to consider how we get our food from the store or farmer to our home. Shopping from an organic farmer by car every few days would quickly destroy the ecological balance. Leave the car parked whenever you can and use organic products whenever possible and affordable for you.
Consume what is currently in season. If we ate a diet adapted to our nature, then container ships wouldn't even have to transport apples around. However, if you don't want to go without the apple in February, then remember, it's better to enjoy a freshly harvested overseas apple than one that consumes an enormous amount of energy in storage.
Consumed according to the seasonal calendar
There is a clever and extensive seasonal calendar for the whole year that shows you exactly what is available and when. Because if our society could manage to do without delicious apples etc. in the dead of winter, then that would of course be the best thing.
Author: Elke Haberl, Mimikama
Source:
br.de , eatsmarter.de – seasonal calendar
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Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )