At Marni Fruit, the the Dutch and Belgian Sinterklaas celebrations have little impact on the demand for mandarins. "Most of our mandarins are sold for export, where Sinterklaas is not a factor," says Erik-Jan Thur. He describes mandarin sales as "reasonable to good." In particular, leaf mandarin sales are strong, especially for larger sizes, priced between 13 and 14 euros. "Smaller sizes are harder to move, although, with leaf mandarins, it's not as challenging," he adds.
"We also sell leafless mandarins from Morocco, but finding outlets for smaller sizes remains difficult. Personally, I think small mandarins are often tastier, but it seems everyone is looking for the larger ones. Sales of the larger sizes—75 to 108—are going well," explains Erik-Jan. A similar trend applies to oranges: "Larger sizes—36 to 54—are selling well. Smaller ones, unsuitable for juicing, are more challenging, with prices needing to stay competitive to maintain sales. The quality of the oranges is decent, though Navelinas never have the best shelf life."
Storm Dana's aftermath: Challenges in infrastructure and workforce 
The recent storm Dana has had a limited effect on the availability of Spanish fruit, according to Erik-Jan. "Our suppliers seem to have been relatively unaffected. There are no major issues with product availability, as citrus is grown in multiple regions. The biggest challenges were logistical—getting workers into warehouses and orchards due to road closures. The fruit itself wasn't significantly impacted."
Persimmon availability remains stable, with more fruit now coming out of storage, which is reflected in its slightly riper quality. "Large sizes are priced between 8-9 euros, while smaller ones sell for 5-6 euros. However, due to recent weather extremes, the quality is quite ordinary. Class I fruit is in short supply, and while everyone wants top-quality at competitive prices, the availability just isn't there," he notes.
Lemon prices rebound
The price of Spanish lemons has recovered from a slump. "When Spanish Primofiore lemons first hit the market, there were still too many Turkish and South African lemons, which caused the market to collapse. Turkish buyers stocked up locally, reducing overall demand. Now, with those origins mostly off the market, prices have stabilized at 13.50-15 euros for standard quality and 16-18 euros for higher-end fruit. Earlier, prices had dropped as low as 7-9 euros, making lemons nearly unsellable. That situation has made me more cautious about overstocking," Erik-Jan explains.
Finally, Marni Fruit has introduced Spanish Hass avocados to its range. "In my opinion, Hass is the most beautiful avocado. Initially, varieties like Bacon and Fuerte were slower to move, but now those Greenskin varieties are gaining traction," Erik-Jan concludes.
For more information:
Erik-Jan Thur
Marni Fruit
+31 (0)180 697 996
[email protected]
www.marnifruit.nl