"Buyers expect better quality when apples are expensive"

The apple market can look forward to high prices. "At the moment, speculation is also driving prices up. You now see that these high prices are becoming an obstacle for buyers", says Wimco Groenendaal of Groda AGF, which is based in the Dutch town of Est. "People then, automatically, expect that expensive fruit to have better quality. This is not the case, and in some instances, the quality is worse than usual. The fruit, however, tastes very good this year."

"We still have some apples in storage. It is not, however, enough for us to say we can easily reach the end of the season. We should, perhaps, not want this either. The demand is still at a normal level. The domestic market and the usual export markets are taking normal volumes", says the fruit trader.

According to Wimco, pears sales are also continuing at a stable pace. "We need to keep focused on ensuring that the season ends well. People who are excited now, may still end up being disappointed", predicts Wimco. "Exports are going relatively well in the Dutch and the 'usual' European markets. Prices are very stable. We can, however, say that it will probably not be an early season."