Top fruit harvesting has begun at Van Kessel Fruit in the Netherlands. According to Jack van Kessel, apple and pear demand is, thus, starting to pick up, too. So, he is optimistic about the season but also warns: "The lots' quality differs considerably; we must be really alert to that. We must get rid of the inferior batches in good time and not wait too long to store if the quality doesn't allow for that."
"Harvesting went quite smoothly, and the quality is slightly better than last season. Now, it's a matter of keeping sales momentum. Pear prices are reasonably good, so growers are reluctant to sell. Unusually, there's very little difference in this season's price of the different Conference pear sizes. There's only a few cents difference between the 55+ and 75+ sizes. This year's pears are larger, which puts prices of the large lots under somewhat more pressure."
"Concerning exports, there's currently good demand from Italy. Demand for Beurré Alexander Lucas is especially good from countries like Romania and Poland. But, as I said, we must maintain the pace. We're in the later-picked fruit, which won't last forever. The important thing is that we keep paying close attention to which markets we send which quality of fruit," says Jack.
In that regard, Poland, for example, is increasingly manifesting itself as a pear supplier. "That's dangerous. Their production costs are lower, and they can deliver a good end product. They're undoubtedly competition in, say, the Scandinavian market. Still, they don't yet have access to the pear volumes we have in the Netherlands and Belgium."
Van Kessel Fruit is the licensee for all of the Netherlands' Evelina apples. In 2019, that supply grew to include growers from various Dutch areas. "Those crops are in and look good. This week, we started selling to Dutch supermarkets, and those apples are already being taken up well," Jack explains.
He sees the trend for each supermarket to carry its own variety as mostly positive. "The product's quality must come first."
"You can guarantee that much better with club varieties than Jonagold or Elstar," Jack points out. "Those can still disappoint in the large supply."
"I don't think there will be many new introductions any time soon, though. The varieties there now can settle down," Jack concludes.
For more information:
Jack van Kessel
Van Kessel Fruit B.V.
143-145 Provincialeweg
5334 JG, Velddriel, NL
Tel: +31 (0) 418 631 231
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.vankesselfruit.nl