Fruits

Russia bans oranges from Egypt

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Russia has lifted ban on ten Egyptian companies exporting citrus fruits (mainly oranges) to Moscow, state’s news agency MENA reported on Friday.

The 2013/14 citrus annual report of US Department of Agriculture said Egypt has been facing the Mediterranean fruit fly, which is the main economic pest negatively affecting production and exports.

Accordingly, complaints have been raised by some importing countries such as Russia and Ukraine after detecting some shipments infected with fruit flies.

The Egyptian government is funding the “Fruit Fly Resistance Project” that aims to control the spread of this pest and administers other regulations that have been in place in order to control the quality of the exported fruit.

Despite the complaints and the Russian ban, Egypt’s orange exports registered 37 percent of the total agricultural crops in 2012/13, recording 16,000 tonnes turning out some LE41 million, the Egyptian Agricultural export council showed.

www.fruit-inform.com

Poland reduces apple exports to Russia

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Poland has significantly reduced apple exports to the Russian Federation, according to the official statistics.

In particular, Russian importers purchased just 37,000 tons of Polish apples in November 2013, a decrease of 38% compared with the same month of the previous year.

Russia’s cumulative imports of apples from Poland in the first 5 months of the current season totaled 91,000 tons, a decrease of 29% compared with the same period of the season 2012/13.

Poland is a stable leader in apple exports to the Russian Federation with the share of 55% in Russia’s total imports in the previous season.

www.fruit-inform.com

Moldova increases apple exports to Russia

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Despite a decrease in Russia’s total apple imports in the current season, Moldova managed to improve its position in the Russian market.

Moldova’s apple exports to Russia in November 2013 amounted to 35,000 tons, an increase of 13% month-on-month and year-on-year.

Russia’s cumulative imports of Moldovan apples in the first 5 months of the current season reached 113,000 tons, an increase of 13% compared with July-November 2012.

Moldova is ranked second in apple exports to Russia in the previous season and was behind only Poland.

www.fruit-inform.com

Russian growers want to grow pineapples in new greenhouse

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In Russia’s Far East region “Dalnevostochnoye” a new 18 ha greenhouse has been built with the support of the local government. The greenhouse is not completely new, it is an existing structure that has been reconstructed for 5.54 million Euro. Half of the cost of the revamp was government support, the other half was paid with money from the bank.

The new greenhouse will cultivate vegetables that are popular with locals: leafy greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, several varieties of lettuce, including exotic (Swiss) chard and salad rocket, parsley, basil, dill and others.

The director of the complex also announced that they will try to grow something unusual for the region, such as pineapples. “The technologies we use will allow us to grow anything because we have all the tools to create any climate we desire.”

www.freshplaza.com

Stagnating Russian apple market

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The Russian apple market is still characterized by rather low consumption activity. For the present, apples are purchased mainly by retail chains, and sales volumes are not high.

Under those conditions and stable imports from Poland, Serbia and other countries, Russian growers are unable to raise prices. For the present, apple prices average 0.43-0.48 euro/kg. Produce of smaller size is shipped at 0.32-0.39 euro/kg. We would remind you that last year prices of domestic apples reached 0.61 euro/kg in the Russian Federation.

Taking into account such a situation, growers keep on holding their apples in storage in the hope of an increase in prices in future.

www.fruit-inform.com

US (WA): Increased productivity makes for another big apple crop

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In the face of decreasing acreage over the last several years, Washington’s apple growers have continually improved productivity. That has helped the state’s growers return another big apple crop this year, which, though it is less than last year’s record-setting crop, is the second-largest crop in state history.

“The crop estimate in August was 120 million bushels, and December’s final estimate was 113 million bushels,” said Todd Fryhover, President of the Washington State Apple Commission. But even after the downward adjustment, 113 million bushels would be the state’s second-largest crop ever, behind last year’s crop of 128 million bushels. Fryhover noted that the trend has been for acreage to go down over the last few years, so two large crops in a row has to do with the gains in productivity that growers have achieved.

“Production keeps going up because growers are doing better with what they have, and they’re more efficient,” said Fryhover. Growers have also leaned on varieties that allow them to be more productive. Fryhover noted that Gala apples have become popular because growers appreciate the relative ease with which they can grow the variety, especially since it’s well adapted to the state’s climate. Another winner has been the Honey Crisp apple, which Fryhover thinks has the potential to double in volume over the next three years. As far as prices, he noted that they have not been on par with those from last year.

“There were crop failures in Michigan and New York last year, so when we had a bumper crop last year there was little fruit coming from the east and we had very good prices despite the volume we had,” said Fryhover. “But with eastern states having record years this season, we have seen a downturn in prices.” But he added that growers with premium quality and good sizes can still do well this year, despite softer prices from increased competition.

“Even with big volumes here and in Pennsylvania and New York, there’s remarkable optimism right now,” said Fryhover. “It’s going to be an okay year; not super and not bad, but adequate.”

www.freshplaza.com

US (WA): Apple production down from initial estimates

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Temperature fluctuations throughout the year have contributed to a Washington apple crop that will likely net less fruit than was initially anticipated. While most varieties suffered from diminished output, Granny Smith apples actually increased in volume over last year’s numbers.

“We started out with a strong estimate, but due to certain weather conditions, this turned out to be a short crop,” said Howard Nager, vice president of marketing for Domex Superfresh Growers in Yakima, Washington. Estimates at the beginning of the season put this year’s crop near 120 million boxes, but Nager noted that estimates last month put volume closer to 113 million boxes, and the dip has cut across almost all varieties.

“We’ve seen decreases in just about every variety except Granny Smith, which has seen a 15 percent increase over last year,” said Nager. That also extends to organic varieties, which suffered similar dips. Nager pointed to temperature fluctuations throughout the season as the likely reason for less volume this season. Cool weather greeted the start of this year’s harvest, and alternating warm then cool weather in August and September affected this year’s fruit.

“It wasn’t one weather event, like a big storm or hail that did it,” said Nager. But he pointed to larger fruit this year as a bright spot this season, and there are opportunities for retailers to push some varieties.

“There are good promotional opportunities on larger-sized fruit, which translates to good pricing for consumers,” said Nager. “What we need to do now is move the crop in a consistent manner.”

www.freshplaza.com

NW shippers moving through big pear crop

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Northwest pear shippers and officials report robust demand for a big, high-quality crop.

About 72% of Northwest pears had yet to ship as of Nov. 8, up from 69% last year at the same time, said Kevin Moffitt, president and chief executive officer of Pear Bureau Northwest, Milwaukie, Ore. Yet 6.3 million boxes had already shipped as of that date, up from 6 million the year before, Moffitt said.

On Nov. 26, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported prices of Markets could change when anjous take over the bulk of the deal’s heavy lifting from bartletts. Northwest shippers are on track to ship about 22.2 million boxes of pears this year, which would be the largest on record and 14% more than last season.

Fruit is sizing bigger this year, which has proved attractive to domestic buyers, particularly with the holidays coming up, Moffitt stated. However, bigger is not necessarily better for export markets. Prices should stay stable in general heading into December, but markets for scarcer small fruit could firm up. Northwest shippers should have all varieties on hand to ship for the holidays. In fact, with the big crop this season, most varieties should be available through January.

Quality is good this season, with about 88% of fruit grading out at No. 1-quality, which is normal, Moffitt said. Because of some labor shortages during harvest, some fruit hung on trees longer than usual, which improved its eating quality, he added.

www.thepacker.com

Russia increased imports of table grapes

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Russia increased further imports of table grapes from Italy.

According to the Federal State Statistics Service of Russia, the country imported about 2,600 tons of Italian grapes in September. 50% more than the previous year. For the period July to September 2013, Italian exports already reached 5000 tons.

In the previous season, Russia had imported 16,000 tons of grapes from Italy. Italy is still far from the main supplier, Turkey, which exported 134,000 tons of grapes in Russia. Uzbekistan, Chile, Peru, Moldova and the preceding Italy which is ranked only as 8th supplier of table grapes from Russia.

 

www.fructidor.com

Moscow authorities want to close substandard vegetable warehouses

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Moscow authorities will continue to shut down fruit and vegetable warehouses if their owners do not impose order there, said Mayor Sergey Sobyanin in an interview with “Komsomolskaya Pravda” newspaper.

“If warehouses management meets all the requirements, let them work and fill the market. Unfortunately, lots of such warehouses are far from it – unskilled labor and unsanitary conditions are thriving. Either the owners will put in order their warehouses, or they will have to shut them down “- said Sergey Sobyanin.

He added that the shutdown of Biryulyovo warehouse will not lead to a price increase and any shortage of fruits and vegetables. However, the mayor noted that the current rise in prices for vegetables in Moscow isn’t due only to seasonal price fluctuations, but also to a poor harvest of potatoes and other vegetables.

“Moreover, it was the warehouse in Biryulevo where prices were sent up which led to monopolizing of the area and forcing sellers to trade at overinflated prices. In my opinion, it was all made on purpose “, – said the Mayor.
According to Sergey Sobyanin, trade flows are currently reallocated from the Biryulyovo warehouse to other warehouses. However, in the future logistics centers should appear in Moscow where produsers will sell their products to different kinds of wholesalers.

“Nowadays, we are working on three of such projects. I think one of them is going to be implemented at the beginning of the next year,” – said Sergey Sobyanin.

www.moskva.fruitinfo.ru