The Red Sea issues mean ginger and garlic supplies from China remain highly erratic. "I don't see that changing anytime soon because of the war. The market is currently almost entirely reliant on China for ginger, but prices are far more conservative than earlier this year. Those are close to the cost price, so several importers are stopping importing from China. Also, due to delayed arrivals, the quality is highly variable," Bert van Gelder of Sawari Fresh says.
"Chinese ginger is priced at around €27 for 12.5 kg. Since various importers have stopped, that should rise in the coming weeks. Ginger consumption is good. The recent cold weather undoubtedly contributed, and there's strong demand from the processing industry for ginger to use in juices and shots. That seemed hype initially, but it's proven to be a genuinely stable factor. I'm, therefore, optimistic about ginger consumption, even in the traditionally quieter summer period. There's good demand for Brazilian and Peruvian ginger for the new season among our customers, too."
Unlike ginger, garlic is very expensive, even in China. "Prices are about €3/kg; sometimes even higher for packaged ones. That's very high. Still, sales remain good, and we're sold out weekly. I expect prices to stay firm in the coming weeks. The big question is what volumes Spain will bring to market. The drought has had quite an impact there," concludes Bert.
For more information:
Sawari Fresh International
22 Transportweg
2991 LV, Barendrecht, The Netherlands
Tel.: +31 (0) 180 472 803
Email: bert@sawarifresh.com
www.sawarifresh.com