Russia: weather hinders Moscow trade
Review of the Russian market - week 7

The trade in week 7 was rather chaotic without clear trends. Products have been brought by importers were not in demand whereas traders were desperately looking for the stuff whose season is over like Turkish mandarins or Moroccan Navels. Among the regions the most active ones were those behind Ural mountains due to starting influenza epidemic. Moscow was frost-bound at first, then heavy snow fall paralyzed traffic inside the city, so trade was much lower then expected due to weather circumstances. The nature effected negatively the situation in the south of Russia where stocks are getting full of products as arrivals were kept on normal level but trucks were out of schedule to come back to Novorossijsk having delays by bad road conditions in different regions. As per weather forecast the situation in Novo could be further aggravated by coming frost in weekend, up to now people there enjoyed +15 +17 C.

Oranges
Price for Moroccan oranges dropped significantly – 0,785 $/kg in Saint-Petersburg for all varieties. Temporarily appeared demand for Navels was satisfied by Turkish traders who quickly reacted – 0,81 $/kg as a result. The price leader in week 7 was Egypt – 0,86 $/kg. But, despite of the price levels sale dynamics was not active in general.

Lemons
It is almost impossible to give certain price level as there was no standard quality level. Range of prices oscillated from 0,70 $/kg to 0,94 $/kg. Practically no sales in European part of Russia and satisfactory trade in Siberia. In the meantime, the prices in origin go further up so the situation should be corrected in couple of weeks.

Mandarines
Leadership of mandarins is lost as price for Moroccan Nour went up again but market doesn’t accept it yet – 1,75 $/kg. The traders were looking for the alternative – that is the reason of demand for non-existing anymore Turkish varieties. Pakistani Kinnow takes it’s place on the market despite of more skin damaged fruits in comparison with last year – prices are steadily going up following raising costs in production area. In week 7 – around 1,18 $/kg. Turkish Minneola is down to 0,835 $/kg as the offer is more than demand.

Grapefruits
It was one of the rarest weeks in the market when grapefruits took leadership – 1,17 $/kg in Saint-Petersburg. The matter seems to be that the offer from Turkish side was not that large as expected by weather conditions.

Apples
The stagnation in apple market has come, in our opinion, due to following chain : considerable arrivals of frozen apples to Saint-Petersburg by ventilated ships in weeks 5-6 effected Polish and Serbian stuff in it’s cheapest niche, break in sales led to drop of prices in origins which caused, in it’s turn, caution among importers, etc. Polish stuff is on 0,83 $/kg in Saint-Petersburg already, Moscow is full. In the meantime, frozen arrivals are over so, in case panic in not spreading further among Polish exporters, the situation should turn to normal soon. Leader of sales between varieties was Granny Smith (as not available in Poland) – 1,42 $/kg in Saint-Petersburg.

Chinese Fuji dropped to 1,15 $/kg as well but it started from East side (Siberia), not from West.

There is a newcomer on apple market – Syrian Red varieties. Price for these apples was 0,91 $/kg in Saint-Petersburg.

Pears
The Southern hemisphere story begins. First Williams arrived to the market with prices 1,54 $/kg. Due to absence of interest from traders side price was going down every day and reached today 1,18 $/kg for little sizes and 1,33 $/kg for large ones. However, it didn’t lead to activity on the market. It seems that price will be slightly decreasing further until someone turns in panic.

The trade of European pears is, however, effected. Traders are waiting in order to choose the direction which will bring them the money, thus pear market is in lethargy statement. Conference was offered on level about 1,30 $/kg without serious success.

Chinese pears went down as well to 0,76 $/kg as too much of them is available.

Grapes
In week 7 prices for Argentinian grapes kept on their reduction trend. Reasonable quality Imperial seedless could be found at any stock. Nowadays prices are on the level 1,85 $/kg, but traders say that even 1,40 $/kg doesn’t cause an interest of buyers. Red Globe variety has some dynamics as well as prices are on 2,69 $/kg but it’s sales are slowing down as well.

Kiwi
Sales are kept normal, prices moved slightly down in roubles but 1,66 $/kg is still actual level as US dollar has lost a bit of it’s value.

Vegetables
The situation with onions is still the same. Price for tomatoes went down due to coloration of the stuff from Morocco and Spain, even to 1,30 $/kg. In the meantime Turkish tomatoes, really red colored are quite in demand – 2,00 $/kg. Congratulations! Capsicums are still in shortage, trade level is about 3,80 $/kg though some traders were asking prices close to 4,50 $/kg for red ones. Prices for yellow and orange capsicums start from 5,00 $/kg.

Pavel Bandurovsky
195269, Russia, St. Petersburg,
54, Svetlanovsky pr., letter "B"
Tel.: + 7 (812) 324-2514, + 7 (812) 324-2515
Fax: + 7 (812) 324-2510
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