Apples

Apple holdings up 10%

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About 120 million bushels of U.S. fresh-market apples were in storage as of Nov. 1, 10% more than last year at the same time.

The November total also is 10% higher than the 5-year average, according to the November Market News report from the Vienna, Va.-based U.S. Apple Association.

About 99 million bushels of fresh-market apples were still in storage in Washington, according to the report. Michigan had about 8.3 million bushels left to ship, New York 7.4 million and Pennsylvania 1.7 million.

By variety, gala and granny smith holdings were up over last year, and red delicious, fuji and golden delicious were down.

About 21.6 million bushels of galas had yet to be shipped, up from 20.6 million bushels. Granny smith holdings were up from 11.5 million to 14.5 million bushels.

Red delicious holdings dropped from 35.5 million to 35.2 million bushels, fujis from 15.5 million to 13 million bushels and golden delicious from 12.4 million to 10.8 million bushels.

Holdings of traditional Eastern varieties including mcintoshes, jonathans, empires, romes and cortlands were up significantly from 2012, when freezes devastated Michigan and New York crops.

 

www.thepacker.com

Russia is the world apple import leader

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According to international experts, Russia is a world leader in the procurement of apples in the foreign market.

Last season, Russia accounted for about 15% of the world apple market. The second largest market for these products has performed in Germany, which accounted for 6% of the supply of apples. United Kingdom with a share of 6% rounds out the top 3.

Then go Netherlands (4%), Mexico (3%), Spain (3%), Egypt (3%), Canada (3%), France (2%), and India (2%).

It should be reminded that in season 2012-2013 Russia has imported 1.34 million tons of apples, which is 10% more than the previous season.

 

www.fruitinfo.ru

Russian retailers see Washington harvest

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Produce buyers from five Russian retail chains, who came to Washington State this week to learn about the tree fruit industry, said they were impressed by the technology in orchards and packing houses, as well as by the openness of the people.

This was the first trip to the United States for the buyers, who represent four retailers in western Russia and one in the Russian Far East. They were accompanied by Ksenia Gorovaya of CrispConsulting, who represents the Washington Apple Commission and Pear Bureau Northwest in Russia.

Rebecca Lyons, export marketing manager with the Apple Commission, said such reverse trade missions are fairly rare and are usually arranged for buyers in new markets where the tree fruit industry doesn’t have many existing contacts.

Russia is an established market, but Gorovaya said what’s new is that retailers are beginning to import directly from suppliers. Traditionally, fruit has been shipped through importers and then wholesalers before reaching retailers.

“Now, they’re cutting out the middle man,” she said. However, it will be a gradual process because importers are still strong and the retail industry is not consolidated. No single retailer in Russia has more than a 5 percent market share.

www.goodfruit.com

Key segments of Russian fruit and vegetable business in conference presentations on September 17 in Moscow

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The program of the conference “Fruit & Vegetable Business of Russia – 2013” will traditionally include the presentations on all key segments of the Russian fruit and vegetable sector delivered by its leaders.

Russian fruit and vegetable production forecast for the season 2013/14 and price development prospects up to April 2014 will be delivered by Ms. Tetiana Getman, Head of Fruit-Inform.

The subject of the Russian apple market structure changes in the light of the country’s accession to the WTO and expectations from the oncoming season will be covered by the presentation of Mr. Konstantin Shvets, General Director of Fito-Mag.

Mr. Aleskey Krasilnikov, Executive Director of Potato Union of Russia, will present his view of the Russian potato market development as well as key risks connected with the potato business.

The Russian greenhouse sector trends will be included in the presentation of Mrs. Natalya Rogova, General Director of Association of Greenhouses of Russia, who will also speak on the greenhouse business state support system.

The subject of the Russian market for fresh and frozen berries will be covered by the speech of Mr. Aleksandr Samokhvalov, Managing Director of Yagody Karelii, the leading company in the Russian berry market.

This year the conference program will for the first time include the subject of the Russian market for fresh-cut vegetables and leaf vegetables covered by the presentation of Mr. Viktor Semenov, Founder of Belaya Dacha Group of Companies.

Registration of conference participants goes on. For the present, there are more than 50 professionals of the domestic and foreign fruit and vegetable business to have confirmed their participation. Altogether, the conference will be attended by more than 150 delegates from 15-17 countries of the world.

The conference will be held in conjunction with World Food Moscow 2013 Exhibition, Expocentre Fairgrounds, Moscow, September 17.

On September 18, the conference delegates will be able to take part in the business-tour to Belaya Dacha Trading, the company dealing with manufacturing ready-to-eat lettuces and vegetables. Pay your attention that a number of business-tour participants is limited.

Full information about the event (program, participation conditions, advertising and sponsoring opportunities) is available here. To take part in the event, please fill out a registration form.

For more information see www.fruit-inform.com

Ukrainian growers to be in better position to export apples in 2013/14

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Ukrainian growers will be in better position to export apples in the season 2013/14. Negative production forecasts in Poland and Moldova (main competitors of Ukraine in the Russian apple market) and lower yields expected in Russian apple orchards will be the key factors to improve international trade in Ukrainian apples in the season 2013/14.

At the same time, despite a probability of a decrease in total apple supply in Russia, Ukrainian apples’ competitiveness will be backed only by good quality to price ratio. For the present, export prices of Ukrainian apples vary between EUR 0.33-0.47/kg, which is almost similar to the price levels in the mid-August 2012.

Source: www.fruit-inform.com

Ukraine loses ground in Russian apple market

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Ukraine has been reducing apple exports to the Russian Federation for the fourth season in a row. Despite high production in the season 2012/13, Ukraine exported just 17,000 tons of apples to Russia, a decrease of 32% year-on-year and the lowest result ever. For comparison, Russian importers purchased 25,000 tons of Ukrainian apples in the season 2011/12.

Ukraine’s apple exports fell due to Russia’s accession to the WTO, which had led to lower import duties on European produce. In connection with that, Ukrainian apples’ competitiveness in the Russian market has sharply decreased.

In such a way, Ukraine ranked just tenth in Russia’s total apple imports in the season 2012/13. The Russian Federation still remains the main export market for Ukrainian apple suppliers.

Source: www.fruit-inform.com

China keeps on reducing apple exports to Russia

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China continues to reduce apple exports to the Russian Federation, according to the official statistics.

Russia imported just 118,000 tons of Chinese apples in the season 2012/13, a decrease of 9% year-on-year. For comparison, in the season 2011/12 China’s apple exports to the Russian Federation reached 129,000 tons. Over the past five years, Russia’s imports of apples from China have fallen by 41%.

However, despite lower exports, China has ranked third in apple exports to Russia for the third year in a row.

Source: www.fruit-inform.com

Low apple prices in Poland despite a decrease in EU production

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Despite lower apple production in the EU and, correspondingly, lower stocks, apple prices in Poland in the end of the season 2012/13 were averagely 32-33% lower year-on-year. Average prices over the season were 25% lower compared with the previous result.

Polish apple growers had to reduce their prices due to record high apple production in the country, which, correspondingly, led to larger stocks of apples during the season. Polish apple stocks amounted to 56,000 tonnes as at June 1, 2013, an increase of 4% from the same period of the previous year. Furthermore, Poland was the only country in the EU with larger stocks year-on-year: Italian stocks were 30% lower, French stocks decreased by 55%, and Italian apple stocks fell by 65%.

However, despite that, the Russian Federation still remained the main export market for Polish apples, while the demand for them in the EU was low. Furthermore, Russian apple production was rather high too, which intensified competition in Russia and also exerted pressure on prices.

Source: www.fruit-inform.com

Moldova doubles apple export to Russia over 5 seasons

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According to Federal State Statistics Service of the Russian Federation, Russia doubled imports of Moldovan apples over the past 5 seasons. In the first 11 months of the season 2012/13, Moldova exported 166,000 tonnes of apples to Russia, while in the same period of the season 2008/09 Moldovan exports had amounted just to 82,000 tonnes.
Five seasons ago, Moldova was just fifth largest exporter of apples to the Russian Federation. Currently, this country ranks second and is behind only China.
In the current season Moldova accounted for the share of 13% in Russia’s total apple imports despite a decrease of 11% in exports in the first 11 months of the season.
Source: www.freshplaza.com

Further decrease in Russia’s imports of Chinese apples

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According to the official statistics, the Russian Federation keeps on rapidly reducing imports of apples from China.
In the first 11 months of the current season, Russia imported record low 112,000 tonnes of Chinese apples, a decrease of 7% from the import volumes over the same period of the previous season (121,000 tonnes).
Over the past five seasons, Russia’s imports of apples from China became 42% lower. However, China still remains the third largest exporter of apples to the Russian Federation.

Source: www.freshplaza.com