The Belgian top fruit season has begun again. "The fruit is being harvested. And local, European, and overseas programs are starting again. This year, we, however, have to take the current reality into account. That requires a different approach to certain things," says Marc Evrard of Belgische Fruitveiling.
Marc Evrard
"Considering the apple situation, Belgian farmers are going to pick substantially lower volumes than in previous years. Apple cultivation faced considerable climatic challenges. We had to deal with frost and extreme heat. Some apples were significantly damaged. That's caused inconsistent quality. In contrast, demand is currently good."
"Supply and demand are well balanced. For now, we don't anticipate any major challenges either. The top fruit market is just about empty. Southern Hemisphere countries sent considerably less fruit as well. So, we're faced with a positive, well-balanced market. Growers who have enough good-quality fruit can profit," says Marc.
Summer apples and pears
According to Evrard, the summer apple season looks good too. "There's much demand for the summer apples in our assortment. These include the Belgica, Gala, Delbare, and Sissired. There's a definite demand, and the market is reacting positively to these apples."
"We're expecting a larger pear crop this year. We think farmers will pick about ten percent more than last year. In contrast, in the Netherlands, they're expecting a smaller harvest. So fat, the Belgian pears' quality and firmness is excellent. They're just a little small. But, the last two weeks' rain has benefited these sizes."
Packaging
When the commercial director reflects on the previous season, he's optimistic. "We might have sold slightly less to the hospitality and catering sector. But, we could supply good volumes to domestic and international retailers. This trend seems to be continuing this season. There's also more emphasis on packaging this season."
"Before the crisis, there was a move toward using minimal packaging and no plastic. But, this trend did a complete turnabout to more packaged fruit and more plastic. If the plastic can be recycled, it's no problem. It seems this trend will also continue, certainly for the coming season," explains Marc.
"The sector is facing a challenge this year. Growers have to take anti-corona measures. These will affect getting the fruit picked on time. We haven't yet heard of major issues. So, we expect things will run correctly and smoothly. Aside from this, we have great products like the new Red Conference pears."
"We've been receiving very positive feedback about these. Morgana apples are also giving good results. This is a robust, weather-resistant variety. We want to use our Joly Red apples to refocus on India. In other parts of Asia, we want to do so with our Conference and Sweet Sensation pears," concludes Evrard.
For more information:
Marc Evrard
Belgische Fruitveiling
800 Montenakenweg
3800, St Truiden, Belgium
Tel: +32 (0) 116 93 411
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.bfv.be
