EU: Everything on track for positive top fruit season

The European top fruit market has been short of product to the end of June. “This was caused by the overall shortage of northern hemisphere fruit and good demand fuelled by the abnormally cold spring weather,” explains Keith Butterworth from Worldwide Fruit.

In addition to this the Summer fruit was late, leaving less options for the consumer. At the beginning of July sales dropped as the weather heated up and Summer fruit came on line.

“The market at the moment remains good for southern hemisphere imports with fruit anticipated to clear on time.”

“Looking forward to the European season whilst it is still early, growers are on track for a better season with normal volumes although there has been some crop damage from frost in Holland and Belgium and hail in Spain and Italy.”

With all the hot weather in Europe at the moment the big threat is thunderstorms and hail, the fruit is on the trees with little protection until harvest time. "There has already been some damage in Northern Spain and Holland and Belgium saw some frost damage in the Spring. It is all very weather dependent, as always."

“Worldwide fruit are expecting the first Spanish pears in the second week of August with the first apples following a week later.”