The current European demand for apples is still rather low, and even the movement in India is slowing down slightly, says Jakub Krawczyk, export manager for Polish apple exporter Appolonia: "Demand has remained largely unchanged recently. Orders from domestic supermarkets are still relatively low. We've seen a slight increase in demand from Western Europe, but volumes are still not large enough to speak about any significant market movement. In January, we're currently observing a slight slowdown in the Indian market, at least from the perspective of our customers. Many containers have already arrived at ports, and sales are progressing more slowly than before. Some customers have mentioned that the market is stuck."
© Appolonia Sp. z.o.o.
In the recent weeks, hardly any cold chambers in Poland were opened, as most people took the holiday period off, Krawczyk explains. "Between December 22 and now, apple availability from growers has been very limited due to the Christmas and New Year period, as well as the public holiday on January 6 in Poland. Many growers took short breaks, and only a small number of ULO chambers were opened during that time. We expect availability to increase after January 7. However, we hope that higher availability will be matched by adequate sales, as a situation with large supply but weak demand could create market challenges."
According to Krawczyk, it's not easy to predict the market at this point in the season: "At this stage, it is difficult to draw long-term conclusions, as we still have the second half of the season ahead of us. It's not only about how much volume is shipped to each country this season, but also about how the situation will develop for next season. For that reason, it is challenging to make clear forecasts in the middle of the season."
© Nick Peters | FreshPlaza.com
What has changed, is the current pricing for apples, Krawczyk states. "Prices have increased, as is typical at the beginning of the new year. For some markets, the increase has been relatively sharp, and it may take some time before these price levels become workable for them. Storing apples for longer periods in ULO facilities is associated with higher costs, so this development does not come as a surprise."
Now that the new year has kicked off, a certain apple variety will usually do better in the Asian market in this time period: "We're expecting increased orders for varieties such as Red Jonaprince for Asian markets, as January and February are typically stronger months for this variety. If the quality of Gala remains at the required level, we will continue packing it for container shipments as well," Krawczyk concludes.
Appolonia will be exhibiting at Fruit Logistica, you can find their booth in hall 21, stand A-20.
For more information:
Jakub Krawczyk
Appolonia
Tel. +48 785 342 930
[email protected]
www.appolonia.pl
