After a good start, things are now slowing down for apricots, although the season is peaking. Demand is slow even though the warm weather of the past few days should stimulate purchases. Things are instead looking good for peaches, but it might be only temporary.
Mogador apricots
"The 2022 campaign started 10 days ago, but quotations tend to diminish constantly while the final prices remain unvaried (and high) on supermarket shelves. There is a lot of difference between producers and buyers, though much of the costs are born by those who produce and package the fruit. At the moment, market prices vary between €1.00 and €1.20/kg. These figures are very low, if we consider that €0.50/kg are the warehouse costs, to which €0.30-0.35/kg must be added for harvesting and transportation," explains Francesca Gallicchio, administrator of Gallicchio Frutta in Scanzano Jonico.
Francesca Gallicchio
"I don't see the typical enthusiasm of operators. Things are too calm both in the fields and on the market, worsened by the drop in consumption caused by the reduced purchasing power of families and increased propensity to save. Over the past few days, various producers have asked me to collect their produce, but I have had to refuse as the situation is too uncertain. And I am worried about how things will evolve over the next few weeks, also because the ripening of fruits is 7 days late, meaning early varieties will overlap with medium-late ones."
"While we wait to start with nectarines over the weekend (Flariba, Big Bang and Nectaprima), we are commercializing Mogador apricots and Sagittaria peaches mainly on the Apulian, Lombard and Piedmont markets. The situation seems to be better for the latter, with initial quotations of around €2/kg, although we do believe prices will drop as soon as volumes increase."
For further information:
Gallicchio Frutta
Via Piemonte n. 36/b
75020 Scanzano Jonico (MT)
334 8121776 (Francesca)
335 5872063 (Antonio)
gallicchiofrutta@gmail.com
gallicchiofrutta.com