During a press conference at the end of September, the French Kiwifruit PDO presented the results of the 2021 season and unveiled the harvest forecasts for the coming season. While volumes are expected to be almost the same as last year, the industry is expecting a "promising" market and should focus on the French market. It was also an opportunity to highlight the difficulties of rising costs that the sector has suffered for several months.
A look back at the 2021/2022 campaign
The 2021 season, which started in October, has seen its volumes limited by frost, to 45,000 tons (40,000 for green kiwifruit and 5,000 for yellow kiwifruit) according to Agreste data. If the start of the marketing campaign was rather slow due to the presence of imported kiwifruit and a busy market, an acceleration was observed from January onwards, with average prices exceeding those of 2021 by 0.10 to 0.20 €/kg.
On the export side, at the European level the market has been more "difficult", due to competition from Italian and Greek products. At the international level, French kiwifruit is also decreasingly present in long-distance export. "For example, in just a few years, we have gone from 3,000 to 50 tons sold in Asia". This situation can be explained by the price of containers and competition.
Harvests almost similar to last year
With an estimated production area of 3,800 hectares, plantings show a slight increase, "without effect on the next harvest". The campaign started around August 15 with the marketing of Nergi Kiwiberries. The harvest of yellow kiwifruit started last week. 5,000 tons are expected.
Hayward green kiwifruit, which will be harvested between October 30 and November 20, will have a relatively low production level with 10 to 15% losses due to the April frosts experienced in the Drôme and the South-West. The industry is also concerned about yield reductions due to the heat wave-drought combination. Production is not expected to exceed last year's level of 45,000 tons. In terms of quality, the fruit has a high sugar content with a risk in terms of size that is still unknown.
"A French market expected to absorb without difficulty the proposed volumes"
On the market prospects for the new campaign, the PDO indicates that the French market should be "promising". On the French shelves, the presence of imported kiwifruit is currently at a high price level, on a reduced share of shelf space. The changeover with the arrival of French products at the end of October with yellow products and December with green products will be accompanied by an increase in the share of shelf space devoted to French products.
On the export side, it will be more difficult. The sales of imported kiwifruit (New Zealand, Chile) is not good enough; we have little visibility on these prospects, given the uncertainties regarding the cost of freight, the availability of containers, and the pressure from competitors. "We will certainly focus on the French market, which should absorb the proposed volumes without difficulty.
Increasing costs
Energy, labor, packaging... The kiwifruit industry, like many others, is facing many difficulties. The AOPn Kiwi de France specifies that "for companies whose electricity contract is coming to an end, the energy cost will be multiplied by 3 or even 4". On the labor side, the expenses for French companies should increase between 5 and 10% "to be confirmed".
As for packaging, the application of the AGEC law concerning trays and labels on fruit (sticks) will take place, with the end of the tolerance period for the disposal of stocks on October 1st, 2022. The question remains as to the use of "home compost" sticks or the availability and cost of cardboard trays.
For more information:
AOPn Kiwi de France
Chamber of Agriculture of the Pyrénées Atlantiques
124 Boulevard Tourasse, 64000 Pau
contact@aopnkiwidefrance.fr