The EU has decided to extend the support measure for the fruit and vegetable sector for a year. This makes the deadline June 30 2017. Syria exported the the first large volumes of fruits and vegetables to Russia and the Palestinians are also working on access to the Russian market. Turkish growers in Antalya are being hit hard by the boycott. Hungarian apple growers are complaining about the Polish apples flooding the market. Russia and China are working together on an online platform to offer Russian products in China.
EU extends support measure
The EU Agricultural Council has extended the support measures for the sectors hit by the boycott. The extra measures are an addition to the support package created in 2015 of 500 million Euro. The list includes 13 measures for the dairy, meat sector and horticulture. The European Commission is extending the support measure specifically for the fruit and vegetable sector by a year after June 30 2016. Click here to read the chamber letter with all measures
Syria exports to Russia
According to the Russian media the supply of fruit and vegetables from Syria has started. According to report a first party of 3,000 tonnes of oranges, lemons, grapefruits, tomatoes and cabbage arrived in the port of Novorossiysk last week. Previously only trials and small volumes from the Middle Eastern country were exported to Russia. The fruits and vegetables are brought onto the market in Moscow. The biggest challenge for the export is the quality of the packaging.
Palestinians negotiate on EEU access
The Palestinians are negotiating with the Eurasian Economic Union on access to the member states' market. There is talk of a 0-charge for the Palestinian products. The Russian authorities are said to be positive about the quality of the Palestinian products.
Online Russian fruit and vegetable sales in China
Russia and China are collaborating on an online platform to offer Russian fruit and vegetables in Chine online. The Chinese internet giant JD.com is among those working on the platform. The Chinese market seems to have interest in the Russian products. Previously, AliExpress, another Chinese internet giant, took Russian products into their assortment.
Hungarian apple sector suffers under cheap Polish apple
In the past weeks the European market has been flooded with cheap Polish apples, which has pressured the prices. Hungarian traders complain about the low price and the dropping demand for Hungarian apples. Where at the start of the season good prices were made for the Hungarian apples, the prices have decreased due to over supply.
Turkish traders respond to extension of sanctions
After Russia extended the embargo list for Turkey with pepper and pomegranate for phytosanitary reasons, Turkish traders responded to the consequences of the measure.
Ahmed van Cekok: "In Antalya, where most of the greenhouse cultivation can be found, the growers were hit hard. They are in a difficult situation to find new markets."
Sarkan of Erust Tarim Eretim: "The growers in Antalya are being hit hard and the prices have decreased strongly. An added problem is that there is more production than last year. Some prices have halved." He himself notices little of boycott. His main products, cabbages and herbs, aren't on the list yet.