The trend in the Belgian pear market has shifted slightly in recent weeks. This shift is largely unjustified, according to Louis De Cleene of Devos Group. "Indeed, some stocks are surfacing towards the end of the season, which has damaged the confidence of customers and consumers. However, the current pressure and stress are unnecessary," states the trader from Flemish Bekkevoort.
"It's true that there was some unrest in the past few weeks," he continues. "The usual markets for larger volumes are typically Eastern and Southern Europe, but these countries are currently importing a lot of overseas produce. We had been achieving good prices for our pears, in terms of size and quality, for a long time, but suddenly, imported pears began selling at lower prices. This made many consider switching their sourcing. Additionally, some pears that should have been sold much earlier have entered the market in the past weeks, damaging confidence. These two factors are major reasons for the market pressure and the resulting price drop."
Experience in quality
For growers and traders still dealing with high-quality produce, this is unnecessary, he asserts. "Look, I know exactly how many pears are in each storage unit and their quality. We have years of experience and know precisely which pears can last until the end. I inspected the pears for June and July this morning, and the quality is truly exceptional. Theoretically, I could sell them next year. Moreover, we have established steady lines until the season's end, allowing us to secure quality and quantity in the final months. However, what we now see is that certain growers and traders, lacking this experience, think, 'Last season ended high, so let's also keep some storage units closed.' We never counted on last season's extreme prices but naturally hoped to end up higher than what we see today."
"We have also received volumes from some growers who gambled, but those pears should have been sold much earlier. Now, pushing these pears into the market doesn't work. You need steady lines and customers for that. The fact that it gets warmer around this time and imports enter the market is not new. What has changed is that some people gambled. This leads to a significant variance in quality, which depresses prices. I believe that for traders who know what they are doing, there's nothing to worry about. The high quality sold through steady lines should have nothing to fear."
Yet, a later harvest
Moreover, Louis points out more mitigating factors. "There has been a lot of talk about an early harvest due to historically early blooming. That part is true, but the days following the bloom were very gloomy and cold. The lack of sunshine and the abundance of water meant that the initial growth phase and cell division occurred very slowly and limited. The result is that various authorities and experienced growers indicate that we are not going to harvest as early as initially thought. It seems that the harvest will be delayed by about ten to fourteen days than initially stated. This period is crucial for sales, so it provides some extra breathing space. Depending on the region, the first Belgian Conference pears are now expected to be harvested between August 15 and 20."
"Add to that, next year, Belgium is expected to harvest only half the pears compared to this season," he continues. "A bad harvest is never what you want, but it's the reality we have to work with. I spoke with a major grower of ours who said he had never experienced anything like it. He has trees that simply have almost nothing on them. So, next season, customers will hopefully still be clamoring for pears. It all indicates that the current pressure doesn't need to be so extreme. Yes, some disappointing batches have entered the market, but anyone who acts wisely and looks at the quality and the trader they are working with knows that we should be working with correct prices for both grower and trader."
Handling products wisely
"As Belgian traders, we must honor our top fruit. You see it with the Jonagold as well. I was worried about it for a long time, but now it seems to be sorting itself out. The demand is returning, and next year will probably also be disastrous in terms of quantities. If you then look at the quality that is still there towards the end of the season, I assume it will turn out well. Next year, we will have significantly less Belgian top fruit, which may not have much impact on the current situation, but it shows how precious the product is and that we will miss the top fruit we have now next year. Let's all handle our product wisely and calmly, so everyone can end the season well," concludes Louis.
For more information:
Louis De Cleene
Devos Group
Eugeen Coolsstraat 66
3460 Bekkevoort - Belgium
+32(0)16 77 97 58
[email protected]
www.devosgroup.com