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 provided us with insightful information, and Wikifarmer’s transactions have added further details on market trends. Additionally, we have collected trustworthy data from the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the French Market News Network.
Spanish stone fruits continue to hold a strong position in the Central European market, with Spanish apricots particularly dominating, followed by Italian and French varieties in terms of quantity. The increased demand has been met easily due to expanded supply. However, traders in some areas have had to make adjustments to prevent surpluses from accumulating. In Frankfurt, Greek products faced challenges with their organoleptic properties, leading to price reductions. Imports from Moldova, Hungary, and North Macedonia played a minor role. Polish apricots were priced at €2.43/kg in Hamburg for AA size crates. German fruits, while available, tended to be relatively expensive. Turkish sweet apricots saw improved quality, facilitating smoother sales at prices ranging from €13 to €16 per 4-kg crate in Berlin, for example.
When it comes to cherries, Spanish batches dominated in terms of quantity compared to domestic and Turkish ones. There was a notable diversity in quality, encompassing differences in color, taste, size, and condition. Consequently, a wide price spectrum emerged, with premium, scarce items commanding higher prices and lower-quality products being discounted. Overall, market evaluations indicated a downward trend. Shipments from Italy, Greece, and Poland supplemented the available range of goods, along with deliveries from Slovakia, Moldova, and Serbia. In Frankfurt, Belgian cordia cherries were also available, priced up to €8.50 per kg for sizes ranging from 30 to 32 mm.
Cherry consumption in Germany has shown a decreasing trend throughout the last four years. In the 2022/2023 fiscal year, per capita consumption of fresh and processed cherries in Germany was 1.7 kg, a notable decrease from the previous period. Despite maintaining similar cultivation areas, cherry yields fell sharply, with a reduction of 8,500 tonnes in 2023 compared to 2022. This decline resulted in Germany meeting only 9.7% of its cherry demand, down from 17.8% the prior year. Total cherry consumption, including processed forms, dropped to 144,000 tonnes in 2023 from 182,000 tonnes in 2022, driven by adverse weather conditions and increased production costs. Turkey emerged as the leading supplier of fresh cherries, while Hungary dominated the processed cherry market. To mitigate crop losses from storms and pests such as the spotted wing drosophila, fruit growers are increasingly adopting protective netting techniques.
In the peaches and nectarines sector, Spanish batches took the lead, followed by Italian and Turkish batches in terms of significance. High-quality French batches were also present in the market. Greek products made their way to Frankfurt as well, although they played a supplementary role. The summer weather had undoubtedly heightened interest, yet distributors faced challenges in boosting overall sales due to improved availability. In some instances, discounts had to be offered to prevent overstocking. Spanish items, in particular, were often priced lower, either due to increased supply or lower quality. Conversely, French products consistently excelled in organoleptic properties, commanding higher prices as a result.
In modern agriculture, the emphasis on high-performing varieties has led to the decline of historic fruit and vegetable varieties, such as the Scillato apricot, which has been a Slow Food Presidia since 2014. This early-ripening apricot, native to Scillato in the Madonie mountains near Palermo, is known for its rustic nature, disease resistance, and unique organoleptic qualities. Despite these advantages, the Scillato apricot faced near extinction due to the area's depopulation, wild boar attacks, and the short shelf life of the fruit, making its cultivation unprofitable.
In 2012, a revival project for the Scillato apricot was initiated by a group of young individuals who formed the "Terre di Carusi" association. With support from the University of Palermo and guidance from local experts, they embarked on a mission to protect and commercially relaunch this traditional variety. They recovered 1,500 abandoned plants and embraced traditional cultivation methods, including hand harvesting, passed down from their grandparents. Their efforts have made them true custodians of Scillato and its agricultural heritage.
In addition, a call has been made for a significant change to revive the Romagna IGP peach sector, highlighting issues like unaccounted production figures, overly generous yield standards, and an excessive number of permitted cultivars that undermine quality consistency. The sector's inability to self-regulate and its reliance on public intervention are criticized. In response, it is acknowledged that market demands drive certification and that overcoming obstacles, such as excessive varietal diversity and low-quality parameters, is possible without regulatory changes. A cohesive strategy and better internal regulation are advocated to enhance the competitiveness and commercial viability of Romagna IGP peaches.