"Pears over 20 cents cheaper than last season"

The top fruit season has gone better than it did last year according to fruit trader Ludget Nollet from Brussels. "This is mainly due to the fact that there was no real winter. Everything is going more quickly than last year. We can't complain. Last year stallholders often couldn't work due to the bad weather. They haven't had that problem this year."

He indicates that the best apples are yet to come. "First the last harvest will arrive on the market, then the second last, and now the first is on its way. They are better quality. The price may rise over the next few weeks." According to Nollet the prices of apples are normal, and at around the same level as last year. "Pears are a complete different story. They are cheaper. I think the average is around 20 to 25 cents lower compared to last season. As far as volumes are concerned, around the same amounts as last year arrived, but what was striking was that the size was smaller than last year."

Early strawberry season
He started with strawberries over a month earlier than last year. "Last year we started around mid April and now we have been selling them for three weeks. It is varied, the prices can be very different week by week. If you compare today's price to that of Tuesday, the difference is around 70 to 75 cents on a half a kilo. Tomorrow the price may be a little higher, but it is likely to go down from Monday, when there will be more volumes."

For more information:
Ludger Nollet
Nollet Fruit
Tel: 02 245 72 81 -0496 79 65 59
Fax: 013 44 19 12