As is the case in Italy, fruit and vegetable consumption in Europe also appears to be declining, and the typical increase in prices linked to Christmas - an occasion that normally encourages more planning and an increase in quotations - is missing despite the imminent festivities.
 © Plantis Group Srl (main) |  © Plantis Group Srl (main) |
Claudio D'Alba, CEO of Plantis Group, a company exporting fruit and vegetables to the continent with a particular focus on the Baltic and Scandinavian countries, provided an overview of the situation: "We are in the middle of the vegetable and citrus fruit campaign, but supplies are not in line with expectations. There is a general decline in the consumption of fruit and vegetables in Europe, a trend that mirrors what already observed in Italy."
"There is usually a greater boost in prices as Christmas approaches. Currently, however, sales are also struggling. There is less enthusiasm and, although the drop in sales is slight, we are seeing prices as much as 20-30% lower than usual. This, coupled with low quotations, only leads to confusion and poor remuneration."
© Plantis Group Srl (main)
The brassica season shows no significant shocks. "Current prices are up to 30% lower than the previous year. The weather in the previous season was harsher, leading to a contained production and better price management. On the contrary, the abnormally hot weather of the past few weeks has meant that production is arriving on the market more quickly than expected, resulting in decidedly higher supplies."
© Plantis Group Srl (main)
The difficulty in selling is attributable to multiple combined factors. On the one hand, there is a lower propensity to buy on the part of consumers; on the other hand, there is a greater availability of products. "The oversupply is amplified by the weather conditions: countries such as France, Spain, and Italy are recording a large production of cauliflowers and brassicas due to milder temperatures. Also for citrus fruits, whose consumption is historically higher when temperatures are lower, volumes are divided among several countries (such as Albania, Italy, Greece, and Spain), which have products of medium quality. This abundance reduces sales opportunities even in markets such as France, where brassicas are harder than usual to sell, even at auction. Countries such as Albania and Greece offer prices that are certainly lower than in Italy, generating competition and prompting operators to ask for similar quotations on Italian products as well."
The strikes in Greece complicate the picture further, as they are preventing the departure of many goods, especially citrus fruits. "Although buyers are turning to Italy to make up for the lack of produce, they are asking for quotations typical of other foreign areas, which we obviously cannot offer".
For more information:
Plantis Group
Piazza Ebalia 1
74123 Taranto - Italy
+39 99 4521842
[email protected]
www.plantis.it
