"Despite the weather forecasts, I had expected strawberry demand to be somewhat subdued, yet our clients are actively looking for soft fruit," says Sjraar Hulsman from Frankort&Koning. The Venlo-based trading company has thrown its weight behind the soft fruit division, yielding fruitful results. "We aim to double our volume each year. It will undoubtedly become challenging to maintain, but for now, we're managing quite well. We have a growing group of growers with top-quality products, allowing us to meet our customers' demands effectively, and our clients appreciate our direct approach with short lines of communication and excellent service."
"This season, strawberries have experienced a rather bumpy journey with prices ranging from 6 to 12 euros per kilo for lit cultivation in January and February. Time and again, it's evident that up to a certain price level, volume can be placed well, but once the price exceeds a certain threshold, sales also quickly come to a halt. From Spain, the volumes weren't excessively high, allowing for relatively smooth sales in the German retail sector. Some clients, especially in the gastronomy sector, prefer the Dutch product for its more stable quality, so we've managed to sell quite a few Dutch strawberries recently."
"For the past two or three weeks, the German market trade has also been showing increased interest in Dutch products. Due to the gloomy weather, the unlit Dutch strawberries were delayed in production and faced about a week's delay, but now the supply of varieties like Sonata and Sonsation, which are favored in Germany, is picking up well. A relatively new variety, Inspire, has also performed well. The taste of the first harvests of unlit strawberries of this variety was somewhat lacking due to the weather, but this has been rectified, and the strawberries are now coming into their own. I expect the programs to start from week 15 onwards, and then many supermarkets, including those in our export markets, will switch from Spanish to Dutch products," Sjraar explains.
Shifts in acreage
Current strawberry prices vary between 7.50 and 10 euros per kilo. "All in all, these are fine prices. Moreover, we're not facing any quality issues, and volumes are selling well," the Business Development manager from Frankort&Koning continues. He notes significant shifts in acreage among the various growers' associations. "More growers are making a choice: either for parties with programs featuring exclusive varieties under licensing or strategically for auction sales. Ultimately, everyone needs to determine which strategy best suits their business. For us, the focus is currently mainly on demanding customers in the German market, both in retail and gastronomy and soon, Scandinavian retail customers and German wholesale clients will be added. When the German asparagus season starts, demand for strawberries will also rise, as they are often sold together at farmers' markets and roadside stalls."
Other soft fruits are also reasonably priced. "The price of raspberries has been between 10 and 15 euros per kilo over the past period. Planting in Spain was slightly delayed, but the prices have remained fairly steady. From April onwards, Dutch greenhouse raspberries are expected to appear, and it will be interesting to see how they find their place in the market. For red currants, the market has been quite dull recently, with prices consistently around 18 euros per kilo. Prices for blackberries from Dutch lit cultivation have been relatively stable, with the Sweet Royalla variety fetching about € 22 to 24 per kilo in the market."
"The market for blueberries has been very good in recent months. Peru had fewer products, and the lowest level in February was around 6.50-7 euros per kilo, with prices for the larger sizes and exclusive varieties consistently higher. At the same time, it's important that the premium varieties also offer premium quality. Often, the thicker varieties are also softer and more sensitive," Sjraar continues. "This year, we didn't import berries from Chile because we find the quality from Peru to be more stable, and we're very pleased with that. Since February, we've also been importing Moroccan blueberries, which are priced around 11 euros per kilo, a somewhat higher level, and Spanish prices are now around that level as well."
For more information:
Sjraar Hulsman
Frankort & Koning
Tel.: + 31 (0)77 3897 328
s.hulsman@frankort.nl
www.frankort.nl