Starfruit has been importing exotic products, including passion fruit, since it was created. The first volumes arrived to Brussels in the late 80's and, up until 2016, imports have continued growing at a reasonable pace. The market situation at the moment is quite exceptional. There is currently a very high demand; there are shortages and prices are fairly to very high."
Ive Lambert, of Starfruit, says: "This is remarkable, because the price is normally quite stable. Passion fruit sales usually peak in December, as well as on Valentine's Day, while it tends to be at its lowest during the summer months, when there are many other fruits available."
Gradually
According to Ive, passion fruit demand has been increasing slowly over the years, with no strong growth at any specific times. "It's not like with Hass avocados, for example; it has taken place more gradually. There is a clear shift to imports from Colombia. The supply from Zimbabwe and Kenya, on the other hand, is falling every year. In the coming years, I expect a steady growth in demand, especially for Jumbo passion fruit from Vietnam."
Passion fruit is healthy, tasty and a high-fibre food. "There are several countries growing passion fruit and each origin offers a distinctive flavour." They are exported by countries like Zimbabwe, Kenya, Israel, South Africa and Vietnam. The largest volume is currently arriving from Colombia, although the supply from this country is now in a dip and there are some shortages."
