Exotic or citrus fruits usually replace pears during the holiday season, but this year, the Belgian pear market is still thriving. "There are noticeable shortages in other countries, such as Italy. That drives demand from all over the world," begins Christophe Van Haelst from Van Haelst Fruit and VHM Trade.
"It started well. The market was empty in August, so demand was high. The quality was initially slightly lower due to the late harvest. That caused a small price decrease, but in the following weeks, it bounced back to the level we'd anticipated. We're, thus, selling at good prices for this time of year."
These prices, Christophe points out, though slightly higher, do not hinder sales. "The general retail demand is quite good, despite the slightly more expensive pears. Even as the holidays approach, sales continue strongly. Several traders tell me they've done more business than in previous years. That's because of problems in Eastern and Southern Europe. There's still substantial stock available, though," he says.
"Whether we can maintain this throughout the season, obviously, depends on demand. If competing countries have less and less comes from overseas, Belgian pears will sell faster. Then we'll be done earlier. But we'll have to wait and see what comes from overseas. Unlike last year, we should have volumes until the end."
Prices not sky-high
Growers and traders can be satisfied with the prices, Christophe explains. "Last year, the mood around this time was somewhat less optimistic because prices were meager. That's barely an issue this year. Growers are holding their ground on prices. They must decide whether to sell today for €0.90 with little loss or wait until April/May in the hopes of making €0.20 more."
"But that's at a higher risk of loss. If prices climb by €0.50 later, it's better to wait, but I don't see that happening. Current prices are good, and I don't see them skyrocketing towards the end of the season. Don't hold me to that, though. It's the beginning of the sales season, but we're on track. Nonetheless, we still have about eight months to go, and in these times, demand and price can change quickly," says Van Haelst.
VHM Fruit Trade is always busy at this time of year, even though some migrant workers go home for a while. "We're presently very busy with sorting. We have plenty of orders which we must prepare. Some staff do go home for the holidays, but in larger companies, more than a minimum workforce remains. We're committed to supplying our customers all year round. So, you can't just take a week off between Christmas and New Year," Christophe explains.
Diversification
The trader does not consider interest in new varieties other than the traditional Conference pears a threat. "That's been noticeable with pears for a while, and I think it's a positive trend. It's great that the consumer offer is diversifying. It's catching on, too. There's much interest in, for example, red pears in European supermarkets."
"Still, there's more than enough room in the market for Conference pears, so we're not ready to get involved with new varieties. That's partly because introducing such new varieties is often subsidized. It's great that other varieties are being looked at, but we still prefer the Conferece kilo/price ratio," Christophe concludes.
For more information:
Christophe Van Haelst
Van Haelst Fruit
Kieldrechtsebaan 85
BE-9130 Verrebroek, Belgium
Tel.: +32 (0)3 336 16 47
info@vanhaelstfruit.be
www.vanhaelstfruit.be