Spain: A drop in banana prices is expected

The market is starting to have a surplus, with a tendency to dropping prices. It's around the 0.75-0.80 Euro per kilo, for the superior category when ripe.

Due to a few sale days and the coming Holy Week vacations, the amount of goods exported might bring the market to an important price drop. The lack of control regarding shipped amounts might cause damage to the farmer's turnovers.

Regarding bananas, prices are stable all around Europe, at be between 0.80 and 0.90 Euro per kilo. In Spain, the banana is around 0.75 Euro per kilo while not ripe for quality brands.

Martinique and Guadalupe bananas keep on showing lower prices than the rest - around 0.60 Euro per kilo.

For the other fruits: pear, Golden apple (national and French) they keep the same prices - from 0.80 to 0.90 per kilo (national) and a bit more than 1.10 Euro per kilo (the French quality variety). Royal Gala and Fuji are at 1.10 Euro per kilo. Pear is between 0.85 and 1.05 Euro per kilo.

For kiwi, this is not a specially good year, as its price (Italian origin) is between 0.75 and 0.95 Euro per kilo. Chile will start shipping its kiwi in a few weeks. The only recovery will be on the Zespri brand, Italian origin.

Orange stays the same. The ones of known brand are between 0.70 and 0.85 Euro per kilo. The rest is on the 0.55 Euro per kilo, while small sizes are 0.30 Euro per kilo. It's a disastrous year.

Strawberry, the star product during March, April and May, stays at around 2 Euro per kilo, with a quite favorable exporting market.

The crisis is affecting the consumer's behaviour, which is more radical than ever. When a price rises for a product that consumers estimate to be top, consumption stops right away.

Avocado is going up to be around 2 Euro per kilo (national and Peruvian).

Banana (plantain) is starting to go up (0.65 Euro per kilo).

Pineapple is going up to be over 1.15 Euro per kilo (Del Monte, referring to the maximum price) and 0.90 Euro per kilo for the remaining brands.

Brazilian melon is quoted around 0.90 Euro per kilo.

The first stone fruit starts to arrive with some delay due to frosts from last week.

Competition from banana companies in Spain is damaging the banana from Canarias, since at the moment, the banana in Spain should be 0.15 Euro per kilo, at least, like in the rest of Europe.

Source: Cupalma