The harvest of Polish apples is coming to a close, as some companies have already completely finished picking all of the apples, says Jakub Krawczyk, export manager for Polish apple exporter Appolonia: "The harvest is coming to an end; some growers have already finished, but not everyone will make it on time. Many farms are struggling with a lack of workers, which is causing delays. There's also a growing need for cold storage and ULO chamber space, as apple volumes turned out to be higher than expected. The weather during picking has been tricky; we've had frequent rain, and now night frosts are starting to appear."
Krawczyk has noticed strong demand from two markets, one of which was quite surprising. "As we expected, demand from India remains strong. Interestingly, there's also been very high activity from Egypt, with many companies exporting there. Other markets, such as Western Europe, are slowly waking up as well. For now, we can't complain; there are plenty of orders, and we just hope that demand will remain stable after the harvest ends."
© Appolonia Sp. z.o.o.
The demand from India is rather high this season, which is unusual compared to previous seasons, Krawczyk explains: "India currently represents a significant share of our orders, although that's not the case every season. This year, we had the opportunity to start exports earlier, but it really depends on the season. Not all companies have begun exporting at full scale yet, as many are still focused on harvesting. Still, when we look at Asia overall, India is clearly the most important market for Polish apples. I haven't heard of any other country in Asia that was importing such large volumes."
The main reason for this strong demand has to do with the lower availability of Turkish apples, Krawczyk states. "This season, India has fewer sourcing options, as not every country is able to ship its apples to this region. Production in Turkey was limited due to frost damage, and we've also heard that imports from Iran will be lower. The border with Pakistan remains closed, and some customers are dissatisfied with the quality of apples from other European countries. As a result, Polish apples seem like the perfect choice."
"Our customers say that Polish apples have more intense color, are crunchy and sweet; exactly the kind of apples Indian consumers prefer. Some supermarket chains have also started treating Gala as a year-round product, not just a six-month one, which has further boosted demand. There's also an economic factor. The middle class in India is growing, people are getting wealthier, and this translates into higher consumption of imported fruit. Our customers have noticed this trend too."
© Appolonia Sp. z.o.o.
Despite the lower production of Turkish apples probably not being permanent, Krawczyk feels the opportunity for Polish apples could result in more exports to India in the long term. "I think that Polish apples can definitely play a more permanent role in the Indian market, although not year-round. Varieties like Gala, Red Jonaprince, or Red Delicious can only be exported during specific months, when their quality and condition are suitable for long transport. So, while we won't be present on the market all year, we can certainly become a reliable seasonal supplier."
"Right now, we're working at full capacity to keep up with all the orders. It's a good moment to load as many apples as possible; selling faster helps us avoid additional storage costs. We're also looking forward to seeing more EU countries start their imports soon, though it might take a bit of time before they make their purchasing decisions."
For more information:
Jakub Krawczyk
Appolonia
Tel. +48 785 342 930
[email protected]
www.appolonia.pl
