According to Aart Blom of Fruitpartners Blom, the top fruit trade is currently developing calmly. “You have to be mindful of quality both in apples and pears. But I definitely don’t see prices for good quality top fruit dropping yet, it might even rise a bit more.”
“The apple market is mostly a domestic affair. Supermarkets still carry eight apple varieties and two pear varieties, and that’s the proportion they’re sold in as well. You need export for pears. The domestic market is just doing well, but the export market is calm, particularly towards the east.”
“Overseas fruit is just as expensive as last year. These countries have the advantage of being able to send their trade anywhere. When Europe has too much, they can send to China, India, the US or Russia,” Aart explains. He thinks Dutch fruit growers are clearing rapidly. “I personally am on schedule with my growers, both with Elstar and the pears.”
Aart has now also started his trade with greenhouse strawberries. “We now have some early varieties, such as Clery and illuminated Sonata. The Elsanta will arrive on the market in a few weeks, but this won’t last too long because of the expected weather predictions. It’ll be about three weeks before it really gets into its stride. There’s demand, it always recovers in spring.”
The entrepreneur is still preparing to start a fruit amusement park at the exit of the A15 in Wadenoijen. “The municipality and a lot of organisations support the plans, and politicians are in favour, too. I hope the zoning change is finished in July. We’re using our experience of the Open Cherry Days. People from the city driving through the orchard in a small train so they can harvest get an unforgettable experience. We want to start implementing that more broadly, with a small greenhouse and an auction game, for example. We’ll also let them make jam and juice. I can’t wait to get started!”
For more information:
Fruit Partners Blom
Hooiweg 16
4158 LE Deil,, the Netherlands
Tel: +31 345 65 13 11
aart@fruitpartnersblom.nl
www.fruitpartnersblom.nl