"Good pears will make money in time, but it's calm at the moment"

The price of pears took a dive in recent weeks. "We hope we're moving towards the level of the third week of January again. Since then the price level has calmed down with the fair in Berlin and Carnaval. It's a difference of 13 cents," says Frans Buijsrogge of the eponymous fruit cultivation, cooling and trading company from Goes.

He expects a stable market over the coming weeks. "The volumes are still here and Belgium isn't nearly empty yet either. We sell a lot of unsorted ourselves, but little is being sold in general at the moment," says Frans. "The price of the pears varies strongly. It goes from 35 cents for the lesser parties to 70 cents for the well irrigated pears. And the best pears will make money in time, but we have to be patient for now."

"The parties of Conferences pears vary greatly in quality. There are parties with which you know they won't be great, but there are also good parties in the market. Strikingly enough those good pears always come from the same growers, they have green fingers. The Lucassen pear season has also been long. The price didn't become what we thought it would," says Frans. "For apples in particular the big question now is what volumes will come from overseas, and those opinions are divided. I think that 30% less will come."

Buijsrogge has colleagues' apples in cooling at the moment. "That season was also slightly disappointing. Growers were able to get more during and just after harvest than they are now. Exporters from across the world see the prices and this causes global reactions. As far as this is concerned it's a real global market. Good Elstars are terribly scarce and a Euro is paid for them in the cell, the price for the well coloured Jonagold is good too, but there are also parties with all kinds of problems."

For more information:
Frans Buijsrogge
Buijsrogge Fruit
's-Gravenpolderseweg 118
4462 RA Goes
Tel: 06 55 801980
fransbuijsrogge@zeelandnet.nl