The Swiss retail trade sold six percent less table fruit in 2018 than in the previous year. On average, one kilo of fruit costs 5 percent more. Almost all product groups reported significant sales declines in 2017 compared to 2017, according to the latest Market Report Fruits and Vegetables of the BLW Market Analysis Department 2018.
Only with regard to bananas is the development just the opposite. According to the market report, fruit sales declined by 0.8 percent compared to the previous year. In contrast, the vegetables sold in the Swiss retail trade achieved stronger sales. However, the two have a stronger demand for organic products in common: in 2018, there was demand for 6.4 percent more organic fruits. Organic fruits accounted for 12.3 percent of all table fruit purchases. However, organic fruits were also more expensive. Organic prices rose by 7.5 percent while conventional fruits were 4.4 percent more expensive.
Many top fruits in the private gardens
Top fruit registered the largest drop in volumes. The BLW describes the year 2018 as a difficult year for top fruit marketing. Initially, the frost-related low domestic supply was supplemented with imported products. Prices were significantly higher at the beginning of 2018 than in previous years and fell in the second half of the year to a level below that of 2016 and 2017. According to industry experts, this could be due to the larger yields of private gardens. 
Imported stone fruit expensive
In the case of stone fruit, the second highest decline was accompanied by a price increase of 12 percent. The yields in Switzerland were positive, but typical import products like nectarines, peaches and plums showed significant price increases. Plums and cherries were sold at a lower annual average price than in the previous year. The strong seasonal differences were particularly noticeable in the apricots.
Source: BLW-Fachbereichs Marktanalysen 2018