Europe-wide
Normally, the European stonefruit estimates are released during the fair Medfel in April, but this year that has not been the case, because the prospects were uncertain due to the weather. Only for apricots are there figures available. This season, Europe expects to harvest a total of 443,000 tonnes; that's 11% less than last year. The largest volume will be harvested in Italy, followed by France, Spain and Greece.
Spain
Accurate prospects can only be made in the earliest regions, like Andalusia, Murcia or Valencia. A smaller production is expected compared to 2015. In the south of Spain, growers have suffered the impact of frosts. As a result, the production of peaches, nectarines and Paraguayo peaches is expected to be lower than last year's. The growth in the production of flat peaches is remarkable, as it has doubled compared to the average recorded between 2010 and 2014. In apricots, the production is expected to fall by 1%. A higher production had been predicted, but because of the warmer winter, the fruit setting did not go as well as it should have.
Spain's production volumes are currently on the rise. The season in Seville and Murcia started in mid-April. Prices were high because the volumes were not great. The weather conditions in Europe have been quite cold, which has resulted in lower consumption. For the next few weeks, an increase in sales is expected because of the better weather. Spanish exporters are happy that the Chinese market is finally open, as they have suffered the impact of the Russian boycott and they have high hopes for China.
Italy
Given the unstable weather conditions, no concrete figures are yet available for the areas growing the later varieties. Prospects, in any case, point to a lower production of peaches and nectarines this season compared to the previous one. The acreage has also been reduced. In southern Italy, some regions have already made estimates, predicting a 7% drop compared to 2015 and a 6% decrease compared to the average of the period between 2010 and 2014.
For apricots, the harvest is actually expected to drop by an average of 19% compared to 2015. Northern Italy predicts a similar situation to last year's, but the south expects a decrease of about 30%. According to the CSO, Italian growers are increasingly interested in growing apricots. For plums, an increase in the production volumes is expected in the years to come. Meanwhile, peaches will continue their downward trend.
Belgium
In April, importers already had some volumes of nectarines and peaches from Spain; however, demand was low due to the cold temperatures, which last week even came close to freezing point in the morning. Calibres are still small. This week there has been a marked improvement in the weather, with almost summer conditions; an extreme change compared to last week. Demand is better, but there are only small volumes from Spain. This is resulting in quite high prices. According to importers, this is the worst season start ever. It's a strange situation, and all because of the extremely variable weather conditions in the south and in Belgium. The quality is also disappointing.
The Netherlands
There was not much enthusiasm for Spanish stonefruit last week because of the cold weather. The Dutch market only has limited volumes at the start of the season. According to an importer, what is most striking is that there were already big sizes available this early in the campaign. We are now working with stonefruit from Murcia and next come the imports from other areas, such as Lleida and Huesca. There are good volumes expected.
Israel
Israel's stonefruit production has recorded a good growth over the years, although there is currently some stagnation. Historically, the large majority of the harvest is intended for the domestic market, but exports have also become very important. Over the past 20 years, the stonefruit acreage has increased from 6,300 hectares in 1995 to 8,000 hectares at present. Of the total area, about half is intended for the production of peaches and nectarines. Plums account for 30% and apricots for 20%. The majority of stonefruit growers are located in northern Israel. The stonefruit production starts in late April and in good years lasts up to December. Prunes are the most exported product. The local market remains the main buyer.
Hungary
Hungarian apricot growers were affected by frosts last week, which will cause the loss of around 30% of the production. According to the forecasts made, prices this season will also be high as a result of these circumstances. The early varieties are expected to be harvested in late June. For now, no delays are expected.
US: Georgia
Peach growers in the state of Georgia are almost ready to start harvesting this month, two weeks earlier than usual. Until then, the peaches will come from Florida. In general, the quality of Florida's fruit has been satisfactory and Georgia also expects to deliver good quality.
Mexico
In Mexico, the stonefruit production is intended primarily for the domestic market. When it comes to exports, only some small volumes are shipped across the border. Mexico sometimes also imports from California or Washington (US), which have perfect growing conditions for stonefruit. The fruit's cultivation requires certain climate conditions. In winter, for example, it should be cold. Therefore, cultivation in Mexico is only possible in a few regions, including Chihuahua and Mexico. Unfortunately, hailstorms take place frequently and this causes the loss of a part of the harvest.
New Zealand
In New Zealand, stonefruit sales record several peaks and lows when looking at the figures from 2011. Around the holidays, there is for example an increase in the sale of cherries. Nectarines also record an upward trend in sales. For peaches, an increase in sales is observed during week 4 and plums also sell better after the New Year. It is striking that around week 8/9, sales of all types of stonefruit fall again and that has been the case since 2011.
