South African deliveries dominated the pear market, above all Williams Christ, Cheeky, Rosemarie, and Packham's Triumph. While Abate Fetel from the same origin was still the dominant variety at this time last year, it is only sporadically appearing in very small quantities this year. Overall, interest in South African Williams Christ dwindled as ripening progressed, and according to the BLE, availability was increasingly limited due to direct sales to food retailers. Italian and Chilean Abate Fetel, Turkish Santa Maria and Devici, as well as Dutch Xenia and Conference, were available in steady quantities.
© BLE
In general, imports from South Africa, Chile, and Argentina increased noticeably, while the remaining European products continued to shrink. The overseas products generated greater interest with their more favorable prices, and so the suppliers from Italy and Turkey had to adjust their strict demands to the current situation. In Munich, some Italian suppliers coped with this development by packaging imported goods in their classic flat wooden crates. New in Frankfurt were Dutch loose 60/70 mm Cepuna, which are also sold under the brand name Migo® (Conference x Doyenne d'Hiver). Spanish Passe Crassane packed in 4 kg crates was also available.
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Apples
German varieties dominated the markets. Elstar formed the basis of the current assortment at the wholesale markets. While, in general, the club varieties such as Pink Lady, Jazz, and Honeycrunch gained in importance, the availability of German Boskoop was significantly lower this year.
Table grapes
Deliveries from South Africa increased and clearly dominated the scene. In addition to the light-colored seedless varieties, red Crimson Seedless were also sold. Chilean and Peruvian loads completed the offer with comparatively small quantities. This year, Indian supplies hardly played a role.
Strawberries
The sunny and pleasant weather contributed to an increased demand and availability of strawberries. In particular, the harvest volume of Sensation, Lady Emma, and Malling rose due to deliveries from greenhouses in the Netherlands, for which between €2.80 and €3.80 had to be paid per 500 g.
Lemons
Spanish supplies clearly dominated the scene. Supplies from Turkey, Italy, and Greece were not available in all markets and were only of a supplementary nature. Business was generally quiet.
Bananas
Despite limited intake due to seasonal factors, business was mostly continuous and locally satisfactory. In Hamburg and Frankfurt, the turnover from the ripening chambers increased, especially towards the weekend.
Cauliflowers
French deliveries shared the market with Italian deliveries, which were no longer as superior and in some cases fresh. In addition, Spanish offers participated, which had to struggle with price reductions, especially in Hamburg. Belgian and local products started to be marketed in some places.
Lettuce
The presence of German and Belgian products in the mixed lettuce segment increased noticeably, while varieties from France and Italy were locally approaching the end of their season and supplies reduced accordingly. Spanish supplies dominated the iceberg lettuce sector, which mostly cost between €10 and €13.
Cucumbers
The assortment of cucumbers consisted of Dutch, Belgian, and German varieties. Spain was only represented in Frankfurt with large 400/500-g calibers, which could only be placed via the price. The week went with availability in line with demand and without major fluctuations.
Tomatoes
Vine tomatoes came mainly from the Netherlands, Belgium, and Spain. Turkey clearly dominated the round tomatoes, followed by Morocco and Spain. Dutch and Italian cherry tomatoes dominated. The transition from Spanish to Dutch and Belgian goods was in full swing.
Sweet peppers
The still-predominant Spanish deliveries were noticeably limited, locally quite significantly. Dutch and Belgian deliveries were generally able to fill the gap that had arisen. Turkish Dolma varieties were somewhat more available after the end of Ramadan, but in Hamburg, they could often only be sold at a price reduction.
Asparagus
The focus of the range on offer at the wholesale market has now clearly shifted to regional products. As availability increased, the still high prices fell gradually and noticeably. Nevertheless, the prices of all colors and origins are still well above the level of previous years.
Source: BLE