There is currently a shift in preference among Belgian consumers. "Up until January, grape sales were going very smoothly with good prices, but we're now seeing that the quality from the later regions of Peru is lacking, and demand is dropping. This is typically the time of year when people grow a bit tired of grapes, it seems, and they're starting to look for new products, such as Spanish stone fruit, which we began with last week," explained Henk Vlaeminck of Van Dijk Foods.
"The grape market has completely shifted," the importer continued. "Until February, everything was going well, but prices are now fluctuating greatly, and sales have slowed. The quality from the later Peruvian regions is generally lower than in previous years. Some grapes are sunburned, or the bunches are mixed with the wrong variety, making pricing difficult to determine. It really comes down to quality. How do they arrive? How severe is the sunburn damage? That's what determines the price."
© Van Dijk Foods Belgium
In terms of volumes, Henk also sees a decline as the season comes to an end. "There is a bit of a drop, but in the Netherlands, stocks are still sufficient. What's striking is that despite the limited availability of other fruit, sales are still underwhelming. It really seems like consumers are a bit done with grapes. The European season transitioned almost seamlessly into a strong overseas season back in October/November, so people have been eating grapes for about eight months. By now, they're craving something different, I think."
Spanish stone fruit season started
"We always see this around this time," he continued. "With the pleasant spring weather, consumers are turning more and more to Belgian strawberries, which have now started well, but also to Spanish strawberries and Spanish stone fruit. These are a bit more expensive, but people are willing to pay. Last week, for instance, we started with the first nectarines from southern Spain, and in 3–4 weeks, the first cherries will follow. That's when the full shift to summer fruit will really take place."
For now, however, Henk is already optimistic about the new stone fruit season. "The first nectarines aren't very large yet, but they still look very good. They come from a grower in southern Spain who cultivates under cover, so they are available a bit earlier than the uncovered stone fruit. They're a nice way to kick off the season." So when will the larger volumes arrive? "I think we'll have to wait about three weeks for that. The other regions will start producing at the end of April, but due to recent bad weather — which in some areas is ongoing — everything is running a bit late. There's been heavy rainfall, which wasn't a bad thing in light of the water shortage, but the timing was unfortunate. They would have preferred that in January or February, but now stone fruit season is starting, and cherries are in bloom."
"Still, it is what it is. The rain will ultimately benefit the fruit sizes, and for now, it hasn't impacted quality, so we're entering the season with confidence. Besides, there is already some demand. Prices are still high, though, due to the limited volumes. At the moment, wholesale prices are between 7 and 8 euros per kilo, but if the quality is good, there will always be a market."
For more information:
Henk Vlaeminck
Van Dijk Foods
Kempenarestraat 50
2860 Sint-Katelijne-Waver, Belgium
+32 15 55 65 61
henk@vdfb.be
www.vandijkfoods.be