Quince bushes find no shortage of fans in Latvia
Autumn brings a rich quince harvest to Latvian gardens, and the fruit's popularity keeps growing. A grower from Palsmane parish says demand for quinces and their juice remains strong.
Autumn is the season when Latvian gardens yield an abundant harvest of quince bush fruit. These fruits increasingly end up on family tables, as they are used to make syrup, candied fruit, juice and various other treats. Growers say the harvest is usually good, with the main challenge being finding buyers for the produce.
Experience in Palsmane parish
One grower who took up quince cultivation four years ago is Uģis Podnieks from Palsmane parish. His holding has 2.5 hectares planted with quince bushes. He harvests the fruit to order and also offers freshly pressed quince juice, which he presses himself.
Podnieks says he sells both the fresh fruit and the juice, supplying both retail customers and larger processing companies in bulk. This approach allows him to make diverse use of the harvest and reach different groups of buyers.
The popularity of quince bushes has been growing in recent years, as more and more people discover the versatile ways the fruit can be used at home.
