Weekly Stone Fruits Market Updates
Stone fruit season is in full swing, and we've gathered valuable insights from German wholesale markets and the French Rungis market for this week's Fresh Digest. Our expert team has carefully compiled information, seamlessly integrating data from the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the French Market News Network.
In the central European market, stone fruits come from various origins. Apricots from Greece, Spain, and Italy are priced below €3 per kilogram, and peach prices have also dropped, with Spanish peaches leading in availability. Turkish apricots are attracting customer interest due to their high organoleptic qualities. Despite satisfactory demand levels, the overall bad weather conditions have impacted seasonal expectations.
In the peach sector, Spanish offerings are dominant, with Turkish, French, and Greek peaches also contributing to the market. The current supply effectively meets the demand, which is currently not significantly high. With the limited supply of higher-quality produce, customers are confidently adjusting their requirements to drive market trends. French white-fleshed peaches are gaining popularity, and their prices are rising.
Spanish cherries continue to dominate the European market, with prices in Germany reaching €8 per kilogram for large fruits (32 mm+). Their increased presence in several markets has led to price reductions, while in Frankfurt, quality concerns have shifted customer preference toward Turkish imports. In Munich, the influx of Turkish cherries caused a slight price drop, though they remained popular. Greek and Italian deliveries are also contributing to the market but occasionally fall short in quality. German batches were limited and slightly more expensive. Although cherry availability slightly decreased, demand was generally met. Smaller fruits were often overlooked in favor of larger ones, leading to fluctuating prices that tended to decline overall.
At the same time, France's cherry production is projected to reach 37,000 tons, a 10% increase from 2023 despite adverse May weather. All regions will see higher yields, with Occitania up 12%, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes up 10%, and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur up 9%. However, the market saw high prices, stable compared to last year and 6% above the five-year average, due to reduced early season supply caused by bad weather and necessary fruit sorting. In addition, the less offered supply of Spanish counterparts compared to last year has also affected the rise in prices.
The National Robotarium, a robotics and AI center based in Edinburgh, has developed a system capable of recognizing patterns and features in flower petals, even when they overlap or are partially obscured. This AI system, which demonstrated a 90% accuracy in predicting flower counts in Catalonian peach orchards, significantly outperforms traditional manual methods with error rates of 30-50%. Researchers will test the AI's predictions against the actual peach harvest in September 2024. If successful, the technology could be adapted for other crops, such as apples, pears, and cherries, benefiting fruit growers in the UK, Europe, and beyond.
By offering more accurate yield forecasts up to six months before harvest, the system can help farmers optimize water use, allocate human and economic resources more efficiently, and improve harvest and distribution logistics. This could be crucial in addressing the inefficiencies in agriculture, where 65% of the world's freshwater is used, almost half of which is wasted, and around 45% of fruit and vegetables produced are lost in the global supply chain. This type of innovation can boost business by allowing stakeholders to forecast availability, develop strategies for the fruit market, and support the implementation of sustainability initiatives. At Wikifarmer, we provide numerous resources on AI implementations in smart farming through our Library, designed to enhance our customers' agricultural practices and business strategies.
Greek production overcomes challenges
Agri-food financing plays a crucial role, and at Wikifarmer, we support producers by helping them overcome challenges and trade local products globally without jeopardizing their business. However, cost inflation and unpredictable market demand are making it increasingly difficult for fruit producers in Thessaly, Greece, to sustain their businesses. Running a fruit farm in this region involves challenges such as climate change, labor shortages, and fluctuating prices. However, with determination and financial assistance from the European Union, a local fruit farm in Tyrnavos is slowly overcoming these hurdles. The farm, which produces cherries, nectarines, peaches, pears, and table grapes, has been impacted by adverse weather conditions, such as the heavy rains in September 2023, which destroyed some of its crops.
Despite rising production costs and labor shortages, the farm has managed to stay operational through EU funding. This financial support has enabled significant investments in modernizing tractors and agricultural machinery, which has helped to reduce costs and improve efficiency. For example, recent investments totaling €180,000 in new machinery were partially funded by EU grants, covering 50% of the expenses. These efforts are essential for maintaining the farm's productivity and viability amidst escalating costs and market uncertainties.