The Australian Navel season got off to a difficult start this year due to quality Albedo with the early fruit which resulted in lower packouts. Volumes are increasing now with late lanes according to Sam Vasala from Sai World.
“Late Lanes are looking good and demand is very good, especially for the bigger fruit which is very short. There are more smaller sizes around and markets such as Vietnam, which would normally take only big sizes, are being accommodating. Pricing is also very strong.”
All of the traditional exports markets like Japan and Korea are strong due the lower volumes, India is also strong, last year it was full of Egyptian oranges but this year there are none.
“I think the Navels will finish early this year due to lower export volumes.”
Sam also said that shipping is getting worse, not better. “It is becoming more expensive and less reliable and I don’t see an end to it. In a season like this one with lower volumes it is manageable, but if we’d has a season with big volumes it would have been terrible.”