"Despite the Russian boycott we were able to bring the top fruit season to a good close. There was a lot less top fruit coming to Europe from overseas and because the season started three weeks earlier, we were able to sell for three weeks longer," Leonard recaps. "The new season looks even more positive. We are starting with an empty season without European stores. Our export position also look favourable due to the exchange rate of the Euro compared to the pound and the dollar."
"The other message from the meeting was that, besides the local or domestic market, we also have to focus on new destinations outside of Europe. We have been doing this for ten years, and we will continue to do so over the next few years. It's easy to name countries like India and China, but we have to expand out export worldwide. In Eastern Europe the cultivation of the 'commodities' just keeps growing. It's important to have a healthy mix to ensure a profitable cultivation for our growers," concludes Leonard.