The Peruvian grape season is almost over for Van Dijk Foods. "After this week, it will probably be done. The last containers are arriving, and then it's over for a while. It was an excellent sales season," says this Belgian company's Henk Vlaeminck.
"The quality was good, and prices have remained strong throughout. We generally received slightly fewer red seedless grapes, but the white seedless grape sales were fantastic. Here, too, prices were significantly higher than last year. They started and ended high, so we can be quite satisfied. We're now working with the last shipments, after which we wait for the European grape season to start."
Spanish stone fruit for Easter
For Van Dijk Foods, that means switching to Spanish stone fruit once the grape season is over. "It won't be this week," Henk reckons. "But we should get the first stone fruit by the last week of March. The volumes won't be huge yet, but it's great that we can start loading in time for Easter."
Henk Vlaeminck (third from the right) at the recent Fruit Attraction
"We're focusing mainly on the early varieties. By April/May, everyone will have Spanish stone fruit, so that trade becomes less interesting for us. However, if the volumes are limited in the first weeks/months, we can get interesting prices. Also, Easter falls early, so if we can have the first stone fruit by then, sales will benefit. People yearn for something new then. If the weather's nice, stone fruit, asparagus, and strawberry sales will go well," Henk concludes.
For more information:
Henk Vlaeminck
Van Dijk Foods
50 Kempenare Street
2860, Sint-Katelijne-Waver, Belgium
Tel.: +32 (0) 15 55 65 61
[email protected]
www.vandijkfoods.be