Similar to other years, the first Greek sweet cherries arrived at ExpaFrucht in Ottobrunn shortly after Pentecost. Turkish cherries are also being traded in parallel. According to the Greece specialist, the omens for this year's harvest are quite good. "The stock is in good shape overall and if the weather plays along, we will also be able to move the volumes we have planned. The price level will be a little higher this year, partly due to inflation," Christian Vogelsang, a buyer and seller at the company, told us.
The first Greek sweet cherries hit the market starting this week.
In contrast to source countries Spain and Italy, where they had to cope with heavy crop losses, the weather conditions in Greece were generally quite good. Vogelsang: "The Spanish season has already been running at full speed for several weeks and accordingly does not play a major role in our marketing. As is well known, Italy has suffered major crop losses, but mainly in the early varieties. The possible competitive advantage for Greek goods will consequently only become apparent later in the season."
Packaged stone fruit from Greece.
Steady demand for Greek stone fruits
The first batches of apricots, peaches and nectarines are also expected in early week 23. Here too, as in other years, the new marketing season starts at the beginning of June, says Vogelsang. According to the fruit merchant, no clear market or consumption trends can be observed. "Stone fruit marketing generally varies greatly from year to year and is heavily dependent on promotions in food retail."
Available are Greek-origin cherries and stone fruits through August. "Demand usually declines noticeably from the end of July, when domestic cherries from German cultivation increasingly hit the market. The remaining stone fruits, on the other hand, are in steady demand until the end of the season. Depending on volume availability, the price situation is usually somewhat more stable in the second half of the season. However, this also varies every year."
15 years of fruit imports from Greece
ExPa-Frucht was founded in 2008 under the leadership of Anastasios Papadopoulos at the wholesale market in Munich. The company was established with the support and in close cooperation with two Greek fruit exporters. In the meantime, the company has a modern location in Ottobrunn, just outside Munich, and annually handles a total volume of approx. 60,000 tons (approx. 3,500 truckloads). The focus is on cherries, kiwi, pomegranates, asparagus and strawberries. "The focus has shifted over the years from supplying wholesale markets and traditional wholesalers to food retailers," Vogelsang concludes.
Images: ExPa-Frucht GmbH
For more information:
Christian Vogelsang
ExPa-Frucht GmbH
Finsinger Feld 5
85521 Ottobrunn
Tel. +49 89 720 18 87 80
Fax. +49 89 720 18 87 90
info@expa-frucht.de
www.expa-frucht.de