"This week, the Belgian pear market dipped slightly," reports Tim Pittevils from BP Fruitcraft. "It's been going very well for a long time, and we certainly can't complain. But now that some overseas pears are entering the market, prices are noticeably struggling a bit."
"It shouldn't last more than a week or two, though, and is somewhat standard for this time of year. Towards late February, more produce hits the market, and everyone becomes slightly more cautious. It happened last year, too, and afterward, it picked up nicely in the months leading to the end of the season," says Tim.
He mentions that the storage quality is, however, a bit inferior to that of previous years. "They still look good, but the shelf life could be a little better. That slightly inferior storage quality is probably due to the heat around harvest time. But, if you keep a close eye on those, we should still manage to end the season on a high note."
The trader also does not expect the rest of the season to become sullied. "I think it will be fine in the long run. The market is nicely balanced. There's always competition, but the volumes from South America and South Africa aren't such that there will be distribution problems. Ultimately, Belgian pears remain popular and are still the preferred choice. They're currently going in all directions, and that's not going to change any time soon," Tim concludes.
For more information:
Tim Pittevils
BP Fruitcraft
Tel.: +32 (0) 470 957 905
tim@bpfruitcraft.com
www.bpfruitcraft.com