Even though asparagus deliveries increased with a wide variety of products and origins, trade did not really get going due to often subdued demand and still high prices. The presence of German loads expanded noticeably, and the first open-field produce also arrived. However, the decisive boost and volumes were still lacking to make prices more attractive one week before Easter. Despite cold nighttime temperatures with widespread ground frost, sunny weather caused harvest volumes to rise further in single and multiple-covered facilities; however, quality problems were also reported due to the very high temperatures directly under the plastic sheeting in some cases. In addition, according to the BLE, the dry conditions prevailing in many places slowed down the harvest.
This combination of factors led to significantly lower volumes than usual for this time of year, as well as prices that remained at a high level. The cheaper loads were often traded in class II white/white-purple or jumbo. Furthermore, imports from Italy and Greece were not sufficient to influence pricing. Domestic volumes of green asparagus were only slightly higher. Local loads were supplemented by Spanish and Italian produce, which was more widely available locally, also at top prices. In Frankfurt and Hamburg, imports from Mexico, Peru, Morocco, and Poland supplemented the green segment.
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Apples
German supplies dominated the scene with a wide range of varieties, with Elstar, Braeburn, Jonagold, Tenroy, and Wellant forming the basis of the supply. Here and there, domestic supplies were slowly declining. Italian supplies, particularly Pink Lady, Granny Smith, and Golden Delicious, supplemented the market.
Pears
South African imports dominated: Cape Rose/Cheeky®, Packham's Triumph, Rosemarie, Williams Christ, and Celina formed the basis of the assortment, while Abate Fetel and Forelle now gradually started the overseas season and played a more complementary role. In Hamburg, they started at €15 to €16 per 6.3 kg carton.
Table grapes
South African fruit dominated the market, followed by Chilean, Peruvian, and Indian produce. The variety of South African and South American crops remained extensive, but interest in this segment declined slightly in many places despite stable prices.
Strawberries
Deliveries from the Netherlands, Greece, and Italy dominated and were not equally present everywhere. Spanish and domestic loads were unloaded in greater numbers, as were the first Belgian products, which only started the season locally. Sales were often very uneven.
Lemons
Spanish shipments dominated the market, flanked by a few Turkish items. The Spanish season transitioned from Primofiori to Verna.
Bananas
Availability was sufficiently in line with storage capacity. As a result, retailers rarely had to modify their previous demands. Only in Munich were there minimal price increases for second-tier brands.
Cauliflowers
The first German winter cauliflower in packs of six appeared in Frankfurt on Monday at €12. The bulk of the assortment continued to consist primarily of Italian, French, and, in some cases, Spanish loads. Overall, the market was well supplied.
Lettuce
The presence of Belgian and German lettuce increased noticeably, gradually replacing imports from Italy. The volume of mixed lettuce from Germany, Italy, and Belgium increased, while French imports also declined in this segment.
Cucumbers
The markets were well supplied with Dutch, Belgian, and domestic cucumbers. Remaining Spanish stocks were sold off at the beginning of the week. Due to the now high overall availability from closer latitudes, prices fell slightly again, with smaller 350 g specimens already available from $0.45.
Tomatoes
A wide range of products was available, with numerous countries participating. In addition to the main importers, the Netherlands and Belgium, Spain and Italy now played only a minor role, with the end of the season approaching. Turkish and Moroccan imports also declined steadily as the end of the season approached.
Sweet peppers
The significantly increased arrivals from the Netherlands caused demand to drop noticeably over the course of the week, gradually replacing Spanish peppers, which had been the dominant variety until then. Green imports from Turkey gained slightly in importance again and mostly maintained the prices of the previous week.
Source: BLE