Rocquette apple swap ‘could be most important ever’

The local cider producer has said this summer’s crop has been a poor one. So it hopes that islanders will be able to help out to keep production going.

The island’s only cider farm launches its annual apple swap on Saturday, inviting gardeners with excess apples to swap them for cider or apple juice.

Managing director James Meller said this year’s apple swap was vital.

‘It has been a generally poor crop this year – perhaps the worst we have ever had,’ he said.

‘In the spring we had very little fruit buds on the trees. We think this may be down to the very wet winter we had.

‘I know other people have had better crops, so this may be down to the varieties we grow, or other factors. We will take any unbruised apples in reasonable condition.’

The apple swap takes place over eight Saturday mornings, starting on 31 August and ending on 19 October. Apples can then be swapped for any Rocquette products, including ciders, apple juice and chutneys. The farm has a database of 700 private apple growers on the island who have already been sent details about the swap, but Mr Meller is always keen to expand the list.

‘We can get about 30 tonnes of apples from the public every autumn and this year we need them more that more than ever,’ Mr Meller said. ‘It would be great to see a few new faces.’

‘We pay 19p per kilo for regular apples and 22p per kilo for cider apples – that’s twice the rate apples sell for in the UK. I’m not sure quite how many cases of cider we swap every year, perhaps a hundred.’

And islanders need not have any worry about seeing locally-brewed cider disappear from the shelves and bars just yet.

‘Luckily the last two years have seen really good crops so we do have stock to fall back on,’ he said, ‘but whatever we get from the people of Guernsey will really help.’

• More information can be found on the Rocquette Cider Facebook page.