"Crazy," "unique," "very strong," "the best season ever." This is how Mr. Diamantis Milinis, owner of the growing and packing company Sun Fruits, describes the current apricot season in Chalkidiki, the latest Greek growing region for this fruit. Chalkidiki is the only region in Greece that has remained 100% intact from the various adverse weather phenomena (frost waves and hailstorms) that devastated apricot crops in other growing regions.
© Sun Fruits
"We face no competition in the markets. European production is marked by a great deficit. Spanish apricots are not many, while Turkey has been left out of the markets. In contrast, we have zero damage, and our yields exceed 40 tons per hectare. Furthermore, we can provide the right apricot for every caliber category. Caliber 35–40 represents 5–7% of our crop, 40–45 represents 20%, 45–50 represents 40%, and the rest of the apricots belong to the 50+ size category. Balkan countries and Ukraine buy our apricots despite their high price. Only Poland is reluctant this season to accept our prices," Mr. Milinis notes.
The Greek packer highlights the great gap between the prices of the current and previous seasons. "Last season, prices for reddish and red varieties ranged between €1.00 and €1.20/kg. Now €1.20 is the lower level. Grower prices reach up to €1.60/kg. Only the Tirynthos variety, due to its lack of red color, stays below €1.00, at €0.85/kg. Even the Bebekou variety, which is absorbed by the industry, commands €1.00/kg. Local growers have placed great emphasis on red-flesh varieties over the last five seasons. In contrast, Tirynthos is now very limited, and uprootings are going on."
© Sun Fruits
The harvest of apricots in Chalkidiki will finish before the end of July. "We are going through the last phase of the season, with the end of Lady Cot and the beginning of Farbaly, Farbela, Farlis, and similar varieties. After the harvest ends, we can keep stocks in the cooling chambers until August 15. The elevated electricity cost is the only black spot in the current season. However, I see no factor likely to change the exceptional course of this season," the Greek packer concludes.
For more information:
Diamantis Milinis
Sun Fruits
Tel: +30 237 303 2326
Mob: +30 697 889 8374
Email: [email protected]
http://www.sunfruits.gr/en/
