“Only now do we have enough supply to meet demand”

Anecoop’s Spanish kaki season started at 4Fruit Company with limited volumes last month, and only this week will there be enough supply to meet demand. “They started harvesting in September, but, due to rain, they had to stop almost immediately, and a number of large programmes have been delayed. Because of this, one of our largest cooperatives is already four million kilograms behind, and those are significant numbers for a season that has only just started,” says Lisan van Koppen.

“This resulted in stable, high prices of around 6 euro for a 5 kilogram box during the first weeks. When supply increases in the coming weeks, prices are expected to drop a little,” Van Koppen expects. “The first prognosis of an increase of 30 per cent has now been lowered to 25 per cent. This year the fruit is smaller, due to a lack of rain, although total volumes will probably be higher.”

This year, the Spanish kaki area has expanded once again, and the plantings of recent years will also give more production. “This year, a production of 300,000 tonnes is expected, and Anecoop accounts for one-third of this. The expectation is that the Spanish kaki production will continue to grow to 640,000 tonnes in 2020. Anecoop hopes to cultivate between 200,000 and 250,000 tonnes of this themselves.”

The increase in the cultivation of kakis has been growing sharply in recent years. “Many cultivators have switched to the lucrative cultivation of kakis in recent years, but there will come a time when production is growing faster than demand. Currently, all kaki cooperatives are full, and when a few places opened up last year, they were filled in no time at all,” Van Koppen continues. She hopes the growth can be stopped. “We have to take care that kaki does not become a ‘common’ product. The advantage of Anecoop is that the company has been active with kakis since 1998. In 2003, the market took flight, but they have always managed to keep the lead.”

Anecoop produces about 1.5 million organic kakis. “In total, the share of organic kakis is relatively small. That is not because they cannot be cultivated organically, for kaki trees are barely treated, but too few plots can be found that are far enough away from other cultivation areas,” Van Koppen explains. A new development is the effort of multiple kaki cultivators to extend the season. “Some think it is impossible, but it could give sales a significant boost.”

Eighty per cent of kakis are meant for export. For example, Anecoop sends kakis to Brazil and the Middle East, as well as to China and, in luxury packaging, to Korea by air freight. “But Germany, France and Italy remain our most important markets. Russia used to be our biggest market, and Russians eat the most kakis, which is why people are still hoping for an reopening of the Russian market.”

“The consumption of kakis is also increasing in the Netherlands. I personally think much can still be done with a good marketing campaign. For example, by emphasising the health benefits of kakis, but also by promoting the applications of kakis in TV shows. I think few Dutch know how well they taste in salads, or how to make a kaki cheesecake,” Van Koppen concludes.

Bouquet kakis are exclusively available from 4Fruit Company.

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