Despite high expectations, pear sales have been sluggish in recent weeks. "Not many people expected this, but there are still quite a few pears available. The trade is trying to tap into its own stocks first and that is causing staging of sales," observes Emanuel Sluis of Service2Fruit.
A price in the bin cannot actually be called a price, according to the trade director of the trading platform. "Last year, the pear price kept rising in the last phase of the season, but we don't see that happening now, although I think it's logical for the trade to prioritise its own stocks now. With that, I think we can't complain about the temperature for pear sales. If it were warmer, the hard fruit would fade into the background even more."
"Heading into the new season, there is talk of a lesser harvest for both the Netherlands and Belgium, though. Hopefully that will result in this season continuing a bit longer, but the condition is that you have to be able to store the pears and the storability is not as good as last year."
No doubt there is some pressure from import hard fruit, those prices are about the same level," Manus notes. "Apple sales are coming along nicely. Elstar apples are almost gone; they are only in the hands of a few traders in-house. Regarding Jonagold apples; there was a revival for a while. That is now over again, although prices are certainly not bad yet."
For more information:
Emanuel Sluis
Service2Fruit
De Ooyen 15A
4191PB Geldermalsen
+31 885 321 300
[email protected]
www.service2fruit.com