The last week of June is the turning point for the peach and nectarine campaign in Southern Italy. If compared with the same period in 2013, there has been a considerable drop in consumption and therefore in prices (at least 25%).
The 2013 season is indeed one of the few positive ones of the past 5 years, therefore the comparison with June 2014 doesn't look very good. If though, we consider the drop in consumption, the weather and the pressure from Spain and Greece, we can see how prices are actually adequate.
Unfortunately, demand is very low on the domestic and foreign markets, especially in Germany. Eastern European countries have been quite slow and imports from Russia have been affected by the devaluation of the rouble and the political crisis with Ukraine. As a consequence, quotations during week 26 almost reached an historical low and not much quantities were ordered.
The situation is rather complicated. Emilia-Romagna starts harvesting on week 27, whereas Piedmont will start towards the end of the 28th. The productions of these two regions will sum up with the ones in Southern Italy, so of course prices will drop and a lot of produce will not find an outlet.
"What is going to happen is obvious, therefore we feel like warning all operators and national associations to get ready for a serious marker crisis. EU resources will be needed," says an operator.