These are tough times for the French stone fruit exporters. "It's war," says Theo Kampschoer of Kampexport. "We came onto the market here two weeks earlier than in other years, at the same time as the Spanish production. But the Spanish just keep sending stone fruit. It's unimaginable, the entire market is ruined. Where we should be making 1.80 Euro, they are making 1 Euro. They can't make any profit, but continue."
"The Russian market used to buy a lot of stone fruit, but nowadays it all has to remain in Europe. The quality of the French stone fruit is considerably better, but a lot of people still buy based on price. With peaches and nectarines this means game is over for three quarters of French growers and those left mainly focus on the domestic market," says the exporter. The French apricot season lasts until mid/late September.
"We mainly export to the German and Belgian market, where our class of extra quality is still appreciated." Rays of hope aren't present for the Dutch stone fruit exporter in France at the moment. "In Spain they are planting like there is no tomorrow. Paraguayos are being sold like potatoes. There may be some opportunities for us if it gets so hot that the Spaniards can't send any more apricots, or there might be a revival in the late varieties, but at the moment it is a pointless struggle."
For more information:
Kampexport Sud
BP 2
34280 La Grande Motte
Tel: 0033 467 567 354
kampexportsud@kampexport.com