On 19th November 2015, during the first day of Interpera, the director of the Centro servizi ortofrutticoli di Ferrara Elisa Macchi presented the pear situation in the main European countries.
Belgium and the Netherlands confirmed their propensity to exports (see chart below), but Portugal is the real surprise with a 20% increase of shipments within the last year, reaching 144 thousand tons.
Belgium
Before the embargo, Russia was the main market for Belgian pears, absorbing 40% of exported volumes (up to 135,000 tons). During the 2014/15 campaign, therefore, the country had to "redistribute" its production among all its main destinations - 18% to the Netherlands, 12% to Lithuania, 11% to France, 10% to the UK, 9% to Latvia and so on. 35,000 tons of the total 308,000 were exported to Lithuania.
The Netherlands
During the 2014/15 season, 23% of the produce exported by the Netherlands (over 60,000 tons) was shipped to Germany. The UK followed with 30,000 tons (15%) as well as France with over 20,000 tons (10%). Sweden, Norway, Poland, Denmark and Lithuania absorbed volumes over 10,000 tons with shares between 4 and 6%.
Just like for Belgium, Russia was a significant destination before the ban - it had absorbed 50,000 tons during the 2013/14 season.
In total, during the past campaign, the Netherlands exported 274,000 tons (-7% with respect to 2013/14).
Italy
In 2014/15, Germany was the main market for Italian pears absorbing over 65,000 tons. France occupied the second place with 20,000 tons (little over 10%). Libya absorbed over 10,000 tons (7%), followed by Romania and Austria (6-7%). The UK dropped to 3%.
Italy exported 163,000 tons (+14% with respect to 2013/14), whereas during the 2011/14 period, it exported 159,000 tons on average.
Spain
Italy remains the main destination with little less than 25,000 tons. It is followed by Morocco, with almost 20,00 tons, Brazil with almost 15,000 tons and France and Germany with around 10,000 tons.
During the 2014/15 campaign, Spain exported 144,000 tons, 20% more than the previous campaign. It exported 101,000 tons on average between 2011 and 2014.
Imports within the EU
German imports from the EU (see chart below) remain constant at 140,00 tons. Italy (blue) maintained its position, just like the Netherlands (yellow). There was an increase of produce from Belgium (green) while quantities from Spain (red) dropped.
British imports grew from 90,000 to 120,000 tons thanks to more produce arriving from the Netherlands and Belgium.
After the drop that characterised the past few years, Scandinavian imports were once again above 70,000 tons. The Netherlands remain the main supplier, but Belgium is strengthening its position.
Eastern Europe imports are on the rise, especially during the last campaign. There is a strong presence of produce from the Netherlands, though quantities from Belgium and Italy are increasing.
The Netherlands and Belgium are also the only countries that can export produce to the Far East. Quantities increased during the last campaign and reached 10,000 tons. The main destinations were China and Hong Kong.
Things change for what concerns the Middle East (chart below). Spain (red) is the country that sends the most quantities over there. During the past two seasons, it shipped 10,000 tons on average mainly to Israel, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
Quantities shipped from Italy (blue) and Portugal (green) remain limited.
Among the Community countries that ship product to North Africa we find Spain (especially to Morocco and Algeria), followed by Italy (Libya), France and Portugal. During the 2014/14 season, the volume of European pears destined to this area was of over 35,000 tons.
South America imports European pears mainly from Portugal, followed at a distance by Spain. Brazil is the main market for Portuguese Rocha, but Spain also increased quantities shipped to this country, reaching 15,000 tons. During the 2014/15 campaign, the EC sent to South America almost 70,000 tons.
