November is usually one of the weakest sales months of the year at the Karlsruhe Wholesale Market. At Sahin GmbH, a company based there and known for its wide selection of Turkish fruit and vegetables, the traditional seasonal change is now taking place for some products. "The Turkish pomegranate season has been in full swing for several weeks now, and the quantities and quality have been consistently satisfactory. Similar to cherries in the summer, quinces of Turkish origin are currently only available in limited quantities. This is also having a corresponding effect on prices, which are currently around 30-40% above last year's level," says buyer and seller Özkan Özozan.
© Hugo Huijbers | FreshPlaza.com
Özkan Özozan currently offers the popular citrus brand Le Gamin, among others
© Hugo Huijbers | FreshPlaza.com
Turkish pomegranates and quinces
Prices for pomegranates, on the other hand, are close to last year's levels. The season has been stretching out for quite some time now, Özozan continues. "Thanks to CA storage at the source, Turkish produce can easily be offered until February/March, depending on availability and demand."
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Turkish table grapes
Grapes in winter packaging
When it comes to grapes, Sahin GmbH continues to rely on the tried-and-tested sultanas from Turkey. "Similar to previous years, we were able to start the season in mid-August. So far, marketing has been fairly uneventful, with no upward or downward spikes. The next shipments will probably consist of grapes in winter packaging."
© Hugo Huijbers | FreshPlaza.com
Kiwis of Iranian origin
Another special item in the current goods receipt is kiwis from Iran. Özozan: "We usually offer New Zealand Zespri kiwis at this time of year, but we were increasingly asked for a cheaper alternative. Our supplier then drew our attention to the goods from Iran, which are only about half as expensive as the Zespri goods."
© Hugo Huijbers | FreshPlaza.com
Turkish satsumas
Start of the Turkish citrus season
The seasonal fruit range is rounded off by the first Turkish citrus fruits. "Satsumas typically mark the start of the season in mid-November. We don't have any precise forecasts regarding quantities and quality presently, but the first deliveries were all fine. We also offer Spanish Clemenules, which are generally more popular here. Finally, there are also the last overseas Tango clementines from South Africa. The absolute highlight of our citrus range is our own brand Le Gamin, which we source directly from our partner in Perpignan and sell exclusively in the Karlsruhe area," he concludes.
© Hugo Huijbers | FreshPlaza.com
South African Tango mandarins are currently running out
For more information:
Özkan Özozan
Sahin Fruchtimport GmbH
Karlsruhe Wholesale Market
Tel: +49 (0) 721 961850
[email protected]
www.sahingmbh.de