At the dawn of the 2023 apricot season, Raphaël Martinez, director of Peaches and Apricots of France, highlights the trends that are emerging for this campaign.
The impact of drought on the European production
The drought has been proven to be caused by climate change, but its effects are still poorly understood. “Rain continues to be scarce everywhere in Europe and there will be consequences in the Maghreb, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Italy and France, with a lesser degree for the northernmost regions. In France, it has rained in all French regions to a greater or lesser extent, but the southeast has unfortunately not seen a lot of water and this raises strong concerns about the impact of the drought on this year's summer fruit harvest.”
Spain has already announced a decreased apricot production in the Murcia region, due to the drought. “We know that the first Spanish apricots on the market are smaller in size, but we do not know how long this will last.”
Harvest level is close to potential, with an obvious decline in production areas
A harvest potential of approximately 125,000 tons has been announced for the 2023 French apricot season, which is lower than in 2010-2015. This decrease is due to the uprooting following the difficult years. The French apricot production now meets the needs of the French market, the major outlet for our fruits for some years. “This tonnage should be put into perspective, because there is always a delta between the potential and what is finally harvested, and we do not know the possible impact of the drought.”
A late season in 2023
The first French apricots should arrive on the market around May 20th, about 10 days later than in the most recent years. “We are finally returning to a certain normality in terms of the start of the season. The calendar is as follows: start in week 21, ramp-up in week 22, significant volumes in weeks 23 and 24 (mid-June) and production peak between the end of June and the beginning of July (weeks 26, 27 and 28).”
This will undoubtedly avoid a production peak at the end of June. “It has never been good to have the greatest production potential at the end of the month, especially in the current inflationary context. The last week of June also precedes the start of the summer vacations and the desire to save before leaving, so there is usually a significant drop in sales during the last week of June, with a risk of crisis if the production peak arrives at that time.”
The demand from mass retail is largely oriented towards entry-level products
Despite these concerns, Peaches and Apricots of France remains optimistic about the 2023 campaign thanks to the relationships of trust built up over the years with the mass retail sector. “We already have committed partnerships with a large number of retailers. For this season, there is a demand from supermarkets for entry-level products. But for the 15 years of the producers’ association, we expressed our desire for producers to value their crops. Most retailers were present for the occasion and we hope to have been heard. We are fortunate to have a good relationship with the brands and most of the operators know each other. These relationships are fundamental when we want to avoid losing the value of our products. 150 people were present to celebrate the anniversary of the Peaches and Apricots of France, which is the result of 15 years of work based on these relationships of trust.”
A sector adapted to the needs of its market
Raphaël Martinez is not worried about the 2023 season. “The weather forecast is good so the season will probably go well. We will know around mid-July. We are lucky to have a balance between supply and demand. We are currently exporting only 10-15% of our production, while more than 30% of our volumes were initially destined for international trade. With the uprooting of orchards in particular, our sector has been able to adapt its production to the needs of the domestic market.”
For more information:
Raphaël Martinez
AOP Pêches et Abricots de France
Phone: +33 (0)6 09 98 38 09
[email protected]