The supermarket group Spar and Austrian fruit and vegetable company Frutura are testing old kinds of apples. They want to find out if farmers can grow these apples in large numbers today. If the tests go well, Spar hopes to sell them across the region.
The first tests include two kinds. The Ilzer Rose comes from Styria in southern Austria and dates back to 1840. People first found the Falchs Gulderling in South Tirol in the 1870s. The companies now have 2,150 trees in their test field in Styria. Workers picked the first apples. These apples are on their way to markets in Vienna for sales tests.
People grow about 7,500 kinds of apples today. But supermarkets usually sell only three to five kinds. Farmers grow many modern kinds for their taste, bright colors, and large crops. These apples can also stand up to harmful insects, plant sicknesses, and chemicals used on farms. The old kinds may not do as well on large farms. The tests will help the companies learn how well they grow.
