Fierce competition impacts Polish cherry prices

The mild winter this year in Poland meant that growers did not experience any losses, resulting in a 3.1% increase of sweet and sour cherry production this season, compared to 2015. According to the most recent GAIN report from the USDA, total cherry production (tart and sweet) is forecast at 235,000 Metric Tons(MT); with 185,000 MT of sour cherries and 50,000 MT of sweet cherries.

Despite an increase in production, 2016 is the second consecutive year of very low farm gate prices for cherries in Poland. This often meant that orchards were not properly protected against pests and diseases because growers lacked the capital for investments. The 2016 farm gate prices have not been enough to cover production, and so many growers have been forced to give up the crop harvest.

Lower export prices
Strong competition from markets like Turkey, Serbia and Hungary has negatively impacted Polish sour cherry export prices. In the first half of 2015 average cherry export prices, which were lower than the same time the year before, affected the Polish cherry industry’s diminishing profitability of production for both processors and growers. In the second half of 2015, export prices increased for processors and exporters but the increase was not reflected to the same extent in farm gate prices.

Poland’s 2015 (January-December) total exports of fresh dessert cherries were higher than in 2014 by 43 percent. In 2015 fresh sweet and sour cherry fruit exports (including EU-28 trade) amounted to 17,580 MT, valued at US $13.1 million.

Germany is the main export destination for sour cherries, making up around 45% of Poland’s sour cherries external sales. After the Russian embargo, Belarus has partially replaced the gap left by the loss of Russian demand for sweet cherries.