Depletion of apple stocks slowed down in April
As of 01.May, 67,270 t of stored dessert apples were reported. In March, a total of 20,500 t were marketed, the clearance had slowed in April with 16,000 t by 22%. Trend with increasingly strong inflows of local summer fruit seasonal typical, declining.
Still, Granny Smith and Pinova are now nearly sold out. The Gala variety is in great demand both at home and abroad, and will likely swap seamlessly with the new harvest. Braeburn and Golden Delicious also continued to flow steadily in April. In foreign trade preferred in the direction of Germany.
The wholesale price of the main varieties Gala, Jonagold and Golden Delicious collected and weighted by the AMA had moved only marginally during the month of May. One kilo of Austrian apples off ramp, without VAT., KL I from conventional production, in May stood at €0.57 per kg across all types and was thus almost unchanged at €0.01 per kg below the previous month.
In the EU, at 1.5 million tonnes, as of 1 May, 30% more European apples were stored in the cold stores than the five-year average. Overseas imports into the EU-28 amounted to the end of May, e.g. Royal Gala at 68,000 t, down 40% on the previous year. A welcome development for European marketers.
Cool asparagus season 2019
After seeing +2.2°C in March and +1.5°C in April, the asparagus developed accordingly. Already at the beginning of April, the first local asparagus found their way to the consumer. At the end of April, the harvest was already in full swing, both in the main growing area of Marchfeld/Lower Austria and in Eferding/Upper Austria. A lack of harvesters, unlike last year, did not occur this year. Permanent culture asparagus feels most comfortable at a daytime temperature of 18-22°C. Growth rates of 8-10 cm a day are not uncommon. The night temperatures should not be below 12°C.
The coolest and wettest May of the last decades brought a sudden end to the continuous growth of the noble vegetables. In order to meet the strong demand, domestic producers and their employees had their hands full in the truest sense of the word. The average producer price of € 7.25 per kg in May, fell to a typical seasonal level of €5.50 per kg for standard products.
Lower Austrian carrot prices stronger
The cooler temperatures had recently boosted demand a bit. Now, the remainders are marketed and unbound games de facto no longer exist. Producer prices for carrots off ramp, packed in 5 kg bags were tightened accordingly in May at the end of the month and marketers were able to write up to € 55 / dt depending on the quality.
Winter onion harvest is delayed, producer price has risen
The sub-cooled temperatures of the May weeks had slowed the development of winter onion and delayed accordingly, the new crop is expected. The supply of Lower Austrian onions from last year's crop is steadily declining. However, bottlenecks, as in the case of domestic potatoes recently, are currently not expected. In May, the Lower Austrian producer price for onions, cleaned and sorted in boxes, was again raised. With good quality a maximum of €72,00 / dt was due.
Imports for Austrian potato market in May
The domestic marketing season for potatoes had already been completed in May. Here and there, sporadic batches of red-white-red organic goods could be spotted in the vegetable shelves.
However, the market was largely supplied with old goods from France, as well as Israeli and Egyptian new potatoes. But even here, the quantities were already manageable, hotly contested and with prices of up to €80.00 / dt correspondingly expensive. As with many cultures, the cold and wet May also delayed the growth of domestic new potatoes. At the beginning of June, the first new potatoes brought back domestic produce. Producer prices were fixed at €40.00 - 45.00 / dt, at the time of going to press.