Producers and marketers setting the course for the season

"Where the journey ends? That will be revealed in the coming weeks. The time after New Year's will be decisive for the outcome of the course of the season," a German wholesale trader and marketer of apples explains. The apple harvest in Germany and Austria is nearing its end. The producers and marketers are expecting concrete numbers in the coming weeks.

Customers' demand is currently calm. "Like every year, the demand is there, but business in fall is altogether proceeding leisurely," says the expert. Indigenous apple species such as Elstar, Boskoop, Royal Gala and Braeburn are available on the wholesale markets and dominate events there.

If you considers the current initial situation, you are carefully optimistic. "We believe that this could be a good season. The harvest is not as large as last year, but the prices are better," the marketer describes. Many firms are still busy with preparations for the season. Marketing discussions and tastings are being carried out to set the conditions for a successful season. "Currently, a price war is still waging on the market for the apple," the specialist narrates.

After the record harvest of 2014/2015, the experts expect a reduction in harvest of around 21 percent. Therefore, this year 885,000 tons of apples would be harvested in this country. Based on this prognosis, many experts expect better prices for producers and marketers of the favourite pipfruit.