Wouters is positive about the new season. "The prospects for pear look especially good. 20% less harvest is expected in Europe and this, for a normal course of affairs, will be good for the prices. But I'm not sure about the apples. By this I mainly mean the trade to Russia. Less will be harvested in Europe, but a great harvest is expected in Poland and the quality in the country is increasing too. The increasing competition will definitely be a difficult aspect this year. The domestic production in Russia is also increasing."
Top position with Conference
According to the top fruit specialist Holland and Belgium have a top position when it comes to the Conference pear. "We supply it in the period when there aren't many other alternatives on the market. Other varieties are less wanted in Russia, and so we supply the defining product. This means we should produce too much, so it will backfire."At the moment Wouters mainly supplies Spanish stone fruit such as peaches, nectarines and Paraquayos. Besides this, they also supply Spanish and French pears. "The stone fruit market is going faster than last year and the prices are at a higher level. Depending on the size, colour and variety the prices are 10 to 20% higher than last years."
Russian want more and more smaller sizes
What the trader notes, is the evolution of the Spanish demand. "Russian retailers are demanding more separately packaged products and smaller sizes. For peaches, for instance, it's remarkable that, when the prices of the smaller and bigger sizes aren't much different, people still pick the smaller size. It's possible that the consumer wants something different, but the supermarkets decide. It's similar with pears. In the past it was almost unthinkable that they would buy smaller pears, and now they want the bigger ones less and less."For more information:
Wouters Fruithandel
Kris Wouters
Kasteellaan 21
3454 Rummen, België
Tel: +32 11586190
Fax: +32 11581041
www.woutersfruit.be