Berries Market Digest w17

Weekly Berries Market Updates

Main Price Movements in the EU

In this week's review, our focus is on the pivotal centers of the European fresh produce trade: the wholesale markets of Germany and France. Leveraging input from our field experts, we've curated data sourced from authoritative bodies such as the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the French Market News Network, offering insights into the Berry Market within the European Union.

According to the latest updates, the prevailing strawberries in Central Europe's market originate primarily from Greece and the Netherlands, with Italy and Spain also contributing to the market with slightly fewer offerings but of comparable significance. As expected, German-origin products are available, as are Belgian strawberries. However, due to their limited availability, they command higher prices compared to their Dutch counterparts.

 The recent adverse weather conditions in the berry-producing regions mentioned above have led to storage challenges; as a result, there has been a notable uptick in Mediterranean products, while Dutch offerings have gradually declined. It is interesting to note, however, that Italian strawberries maintain a minimal and erratic presence in the German market. Although the demand persists at high levels, availability remains relatively limited following the Easter Holidays. The steady, upward trend in prices for strawberries sourced from the Mediterranean could play a role. 

Placing their bets on product quality, Huelva, the primary region for red fruit production in Spain, has issued a third health alert regarding strawberries from Morocco. This alert follows a campaign initiated after the initial declaration to highlight the health benefits and safety assurances of strawberries from Huelva and promote the purchasing activities of produce of European origin.

In terms of imports, the pricing of imported blueberries has stabilized, while Moroccan raspberries have experienced increased prices despite sustained high demand. However, blueberries and raspberries of European origin have experienced limited supply this season, resulting in minimal competition within the market.

Overview of the Berries Market

As we mentioned in our previous digest, the forecasted bad weather conditions in Poland,   a strong berries producer, have caused damage due to recent frost occurrences over the past few days, particularly in blueberries and strawberries,. Given the early blooming this season, the crops are especially vulnerable to low temperatures. Despite the efforts to employ frost protection practices, a significant number of blueberry and strawberry plants have been adversely affected, resulting in diminished yields.

The United Kingdom, renowned as one of the primary producers of strawberries, is experiencing a slightly delayed start to the season. However, the arrival of the first British strawberries on the market signals the impending onset of summer. Additionally, the upcoming season coincides with numerous sports festivities in the UK, which are typically associated with heightened consumption of strawberries.

This year, raspberries from Spain have seen a notable decrease in both volume and quality, leading to higher prices. Adverse weather conditions during autumn and winter hampered crop development, resulting in lower-than-anticipated yields. Similarly, Morocco experienced challenges, leading to elevated prices for imported goods. In Spain, projections suggest that next year's production volume will be even lower. Overall, raspberry cultivation faces profitability challenges due to the demanding infrastructure and harvesting processes involved.

Within the last ten years, blueberry average consumption per capita has increased globally and is now available year-round. Recent reports indicate that the southern hemisphere has yielded less volume compared to last year, opening up opportunities for Spanish products to enter the market with reduced competition. Despite being a relatively new venture, blueberry cultivation in Spain has quickly gained approval for its quality, contributing to the increasing demand for this fruit.

Greek strawberries have outpaced their Spanish counterparts in the European market, with exports totaling 33,948 tons by the end of March 2024, representing a 10.3% increase from the previous year. Despite Russia, the largest importer of Greek strawberries, facing export bans, demand remained strong. This persisted despite lower volume availability due to high temperatures during critical stages of fruit development.