The berry season in the Northern Hemisphere is now gradually picking up speed. "We've been able to offer Dutch greenhouse strawberries for the past 5–6 weeks, followed by German greenhouse produce since early April," reports Ogulcan Sariboga, a buyer and seller at Raiffeisen Obst & Gemüse GmbH in Leverkusen, Germany. Prices are currently below last year's levels, he adds. "Dutch Sonsation, in particular, is currently being offered at significantly lower prices, although it is still somewhat pricier than regionally grown Clery. In general, the Sonsation variety is enjoying growing popularity among our customers, while the tried-and-true Elsanta tends to be losing market share."
© Raiffeisen Obst und Gemüse GmbH
Sariboga, meanwhile, considers the demand for strawberries to be encouraging. "April got off to a pretty good start, and we also recorded surprisingly strong sales figures in January and February, which are normally the weakest sales months of the year." In addition to Class I strawberries, the small, fine-grade, and Class II produce are also well-received by wholesale customers. "These are offered alongside the premium fruits at farmers' markets so that everyone can afford strawberries."
© Raiffeisen Obst & Gemüse GmbH
Moroccan raspberries from Driscoll's
Seasonal turnaround for raspberries
Raiffeisen Obst & Gemüse GmbH is a subsidiary of the Landgard group and also sources goods from smaller fruit farms in the neighborhood. Berries of all kinds have been among the wholesale company's most important revenue drivers for many years, Sariboga confirms. Marketing extends far beyond the borders of North Rhine-Westphalia. "For raspberries, we are now primarily focusing on produce from Morocco and also offer slightly more expensive fruit from Portugal as a supplement. After a long period of tight supply and high prices, the situation completely reversed within a very short time, a few weeks ago. Currently, there is an abundance of produce, so it is sometimes challenging for us to handle these volumes appropriately."
© Raiffeisen Obst & Gemüse GmbH
Blueberries and blackberries from Driscoll's
Shortages dominate the blueberry market
The blueberry market, however, presents a completely different picture, Sariboga continues. "Here, too, Morocco currently dominates the supply following the end of the overseas season in early April. Products from Spain are also available from time to time, though quality sometimes drops significantly, which in turn is due to wet weather conditions. Due to limited availability, we can sometimes barely meet current demand." The seasonal berry selection is rounded out by blackberries from Spain and Portugal. Here, too, quality has been very inconsistent recently. "With the last shipments from Mexico in week 15, the overseas season is now finally over. I would rate the current price level as satisfactory."
© Raiffeisen Obst & Gemüse GmbH
Air-freighted papayas and pineapples
Air-freighted papayas as a growing product segment
In addition to berries of all kinds, demand for select exotic fruits is also picking up slightly again, thanks to sunny weather. "Pineapples from Costa Rica have been in short supply and relatively expensive for about two months now. To complement our sea-freighted goods, we also offer air-freighted baby pineapples from Mauritius so that we can also serve the premium segment." Formosa papayas from Brazil are now also being traded year-round in encouraging volumes of up to three to four pallets per week. "Due to rising demand and high margins, air-freighted papayas have generally become an attractive revenue driver. Aside from minor shortages during the rainy season in Brazil, availability is mostly consistent. In this respect, it is also a stable product segment," he concludes.
For more information:
Ogulcan Sariboga
Raiffeisen Obst & Gemüse GmbH
Robert-Koch-Straße 25-27
51379 Leverkusen
Tel: +49 1515 3856819
[email protected]
www.obstgemuese-raiffeisen.de
