Russia: pear imports down month-on-month in May

Russia lowered pear imports by 37.5% in May 2014 compared with the previous month, according to the official statistics.

Thus, the import volumes totaled just 31,000 tons, the lowest result over the past 5 years and a decrease of 18% year-on-year.

Russia’s cumulative imports over the period from July 2013 to May 2014 stood at 355,000 tons, an increase of 4% compared with the same period of the previous season. The Netherlands were the main supplier of pears to the Russian market with the share of about 25% in Russia’s total imports. Argentina and Belgium also exported significant volumes, and their shares amounted to 17% each.

www.fruit-inform.com

Russian growers start new apple campaign

Apple growers from Krasnodar Krai, Russia, have started harvesting early apples this week. The start of the season was almost similar to last year’s date. Geneva Early variety accounts for the largest share in sales now.

First volumes of early apples are offered at RUB 30-45/kg (EUR 0.62-0.93/kg), an increase of 14% compared with the same period of the previous season.

Growers say that harvesting activities are complicated by rains. Thus the supply is significantly lower year-on-year, and prices have gone up compared with last year.

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Kubanskiy Vineyards Plan To Collect Around 200,000 Tonnes Of Grapes

Oleg Tolmachev, head of the department of viticulture, wine and spirits industry of the Krasnodar Region, announced that the area expects to collect about 200,000 tonnes of grapes this year, flat on the year.

“I have every reason to say that the prognosis is very positive. We expect to surpass the average annual harvest of grapes, which has occurred over the last ten years. Although, of course, a lot will depend on the weather this summer,” Tolmachev said, as quoted by the publication Interfax.

A Kuban official also noted that the grapes planted this winter survived without any damage.

“Today the grapes only just started to spring up, and flowering went well. And if we are to look at the whole picture, we expect to collect in the range of 200, 000 tonnes of ‘amber’ Fruit – at the same level as last year, which was a very successful year and an above average long-term performance,” Tolachev added.

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Tyumen region to build greenhouse for 2.2 billion Roubles

The Tyumen branch of one of Russia’s banks is funding the construction of the largest greenhouse complex for growing vegetables in the region. According to the press service of the Tyumen government, the project, initiated by the company Technology Hothouse Growth LLC, will make use of the latest high-tech Dutch greenhouse technology. The first stage is scheduled for September 2014 and it will enable Tyumen to increase the volumes and quality of its greenhouse production.

The complex will be located 38 kilometres from Tyumen, in the village of Narimanovo, and has an area of 11 hectares, of which 7.5 hectares will be devoted to cucumbers, 2.5 hectares for tomatoes and 1 hectare for lettuce and seedlings. The project budget is of more than 2.2 billion Roubles, of which 1.9 billion will be loaned by banks.

“This ambitious project is very significant for the Tyumen region, as not only will it permit the uninterrupted supply of vegetables for the area, but will also create more than 180 jobs,” said the director of the Tyumen regional branch of the bank funding the project, Dmitry Pushkarev.

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Russia plans to expand vinery areas

In Kuban Abrau-Durso a meeting session took place on May 27th where Dmitry Medvedev encharged the Government with a task to develop and to launch a campaign for Russian winegrowing upholding and development.

Also the ministry said in the official comment that they had come to a decision to actualize government upholding actions towards grape production, scientific researches in this sphere, and to increase the square of vineries up to 140 000 hectares by 2020.

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