The payout prices received in 2018 were satisfactory for 89 percent of the South Tyrolean growers. 2018 was also characterized by unfavorable developments, such as a sharp decline in apple prices and the increase in the prices of animal feed. This partly affects the expectations of farmers for 2019, especially with regard to fruit production, reports Südtirol News.
South Tyrolean apple production amounted to just under one million tonnes and thus returned to the usual level of recent years. In Europe generally, and particularly in Poland, production was even above average. This has turned into an oversupply situation, exacerbated by the continued Russian embargo and political crises in North Africa.
In the last few months of 2018, apple prices, which had been unusually high until last summer, fell sharply. This year, this issue could be exacerbated by an unprecedented Brexit, as the UK is a relevant market for European apples.
The evaluations of South Tyrolean fruit growers reflect the market development: 2018 prices are described by 87 percent of the surveyed farmers at least as satisfactory - in two-thirds of the cases even as good. By 2019, on the other hand, every second fruit grower fears the producer prices will become unsatisfactory.
Source: Südtirol News