"It's a fantastic pear season, but whether we'll reach last season's final months' prices remains a big question." begins Dominiek Noppe from Vergro. This Belgian trading company reflects on a successful winter and thinks this trend could continue into the final months.
All season long, the pear market seems to have been enveloped in a positive atmosphere. Early on, it became clear that due to climate conditions, Italy would have lower volumes available, leading many to turn to Belgian exporters. "We were initially concerned we might face a difficult year. The overall peel quality wasn't quite up to standard, which made us worry about its impact on sales. Nevertheless, we promptly informed our customers about the situation. There were no perfectly green pears available elsewhere either. Also, we managed to gather our large volumes into homogeneous loads tailored to our clients' various needs."
The Vergro team at the recent Fruit Logistica
As a result, says Dominiek, the demand present from the beginning continued throughout the winter. "That was actually consistently high from all over Europe, so there was never any pressure to offload the pears. That's still the case. Demand is still very strong, but it needs to be. It seems the new season will start two to three weeks earlier than last year," he says.
"If there are still many pears in stock, it could put plenty of pressure on the market. However, In Belgium, the pears have been cleared out quite well. The Netherlands, though, has more stock than many think. Prices were good throughout the season, but that makes you wonder if we'll achieve the same prices we saw last July and August," Dominiek explains.
Too many apple varieties
Apples had a tough time last year; this season, though, seems to be increasingly recovering. Yet, Dominiek notes a developing trend. "Apple prices were better than in previous years. That's mainly because, following a challenging year, many apple trees were uprooted. Last year's massive supply was, thus, not an issue. Still, there are simply too many apple varieties."
"The market cannot absorb them all. Nevertheless, a traditional variety like Gala seems to still do well," explains the Vergro director, who also manages the company's fruit farm, D&G Fruit. "Our advantage is that D&G's acreage consists of about 80% pears. Of the remaining 20% of apples, Gala is our main variety. Given that both had a good year, we certainly can't complain."
Lit cultivation
Dominiek also speaks of a positive winter for tomatoes, which, after top fruit, is Vergo's largest product group. "Last winter was tough, and the gas prices largely halted production. There was virtually no local product available. This winter, we could sell TOVs grown under lights from Belgium and the Netherlands throughout that time," he recalls.
"There was also good demand for them. We had only loose tomatoes and bell peppers harvested in Morocco under the Eureka Fresh brand. Their quality was excellent; during the winter, that was a nice addition to our local assortment. The trucks come directly from Morocco to our warehouse in Belgium, ensuring the fastest possible delivery to our customers."
Harvesting the new Dutch and Belgian greenhouse vegetables is quite a challenge. "Everyone started planting earlier, so the greenhouse vegetable season started earlier than in the past two years. However, lower-quality Spanish and Moroccan products are still sold at bargain prices on the market. In recent weeks, tomato prices have dropped from €2.30 to under €1," says Noppe. "Operating in a declining market is always difficult, but I believe this will be resolved in the coming weeks, and we'll move towards a more stable market."
Eureka Fresh
Dominiek is optimistic about the summer. "It looks promising. The summer contracts are slightly larger than in recent years, and our regular buyer and supplier lines are secure. We're also building a terrific brand with Eureka Fresh, recognized for its quality. Besides apples, pears, strawberries, bell peppers, eggplants, leeks, multicolor lettuce, TOVs, and loose and beef tomatoes, our Eureka brand now includes cherry tomatoes. We keep working on it and aim to expand. Our loyal suppliers, whom we've selected over the years, brainstorm with us to serve our customers as well as possible," he concludes.
For more information:
Dominiek Noppe
Vergro
5 Kleine Roeselare Street
8760, Meulebeke, Belgium
Tel: +32 (0) 51 48 90 76
[email protected]
www.vergro.com