"More demand for top fruit, many worries about results of frost"

"Tension is noticeable amongst the top fruit growers about the results of the frost of the last few weeks." So said Erik Kieftenburg, who is responsible for the sale of top fruit for Fruit Noordholland bv., which is part of M.J.Pronk. "Two weeks ago between Hoorn-Lelystad and Marknesse there was a lot of snow and it became kind of a mini North Pole here with an average temperature of minus 22 degrees. Damage is probably severe. Growers are especially afraid, that the lower stems have been damaged, but also many buds are frozen. However, the final damage will only become clear in the next month and a half."

 

"With the temperature slightly higher the demand for top fruit increases somewhat. Sales to market traders were at an especially low level during the last few weeks" Erik says. "The price of Conference-A is about 45 cents and of the Conference-B/C about 40 cents. These prices are reasonable, but definitely not terrific. However, the price of pears is slightly higher than that of apples at the moment."