News

Great success this Tuesday 13th at the 2nd FHC China fresh produce conference during the first day of the major China food exhibition FHC China. Expert panel speakers gave their view of China market trends with fresh produce, recomendations of better supply chain and consumer marketing. Among them leading e-commerce platforms, grocery chains, suppliers and logistics experts like Chunbo, Haisheng, Jiuye, SunMonn, WellFruit, WinChain.

Program

AGRO SELECTIONS FRUITS (ASF) - also known as «Maillard genetics» - has been working for decades to obtain new and improved varieties of peaches and nectarines with round and flat fruit, with white, yellow and highly pigmented flesh as well as cherries, apricots and apples.

EU grape production is expected to be up 7.1%, mainly due to larger harvests in the continent’s largest producer Italy (+13.3%), despite humid conditions during flowering and summer rains. There are also production increases in France (+23.8%) and Romania (+1.3%), which more than make up for drops in Portugal (-26.4%) and Bulgaria (-4.2%) due to adverse weather conditions. Volumes in Greece and Spain are expected to remain flat. Overall, fruit quality is forecast to be good with higher sugar content due to hot temperatures in July and September.

Chinese table grape production is expected to fall by 10% to 945,000 tons in 2018-19 due to spring frost damage, according to USDA data. The two worst affected production areas were Hebei and Shaanxi, with volumes down by 30-50%, according to local estimates. Other major producing provinces like Xinjiang, Hebei, Shandong, Yunnan and Zhejiang were not heavily affected. Meanwhile, China’s grape imports are estimated to be down 7%, to 200,000 tons, as a result of the trade war with the US, which has no significant competitors in the Northern Hemisphere during its shipping season.

Eastern Andalusia has expanded its greenhouse production area by 1.7%, to 35,489 hectares. The areas around Almeria, Granada and Malaga have reported steady increases over the past 17 years, adding 579 hectares this year alone. This year’s rise is significantly smaller than last year’s expansion of 10%. Almeria alone accounts for 87.4% of all greenhouse facilities in these three provinces, with a total of 31,614 hectares. Granada has a greenhouse production area of ​​3,100 hectares, up 13 ha. Most of the greenhouses are located in the La Costa area, with 2,847 hectares.

Japan imported approximately 1.6 million tons of fresh fruit in 2017, worth US$ 2.14 billion. The leading exporters to Japan in value terms were the Philippines (37.7%), followed by the US (16.8%), New Zealand (14.4%), and Mexico (12.6%). The main fruits imported to Japan were banana (39.8%), followed by kiwi (14.7%), avocado (9.6%) and pineapple (5.9%). Japan’s domestic production of fresh fruit is declining as a result of its aging fruit farmers. The Philippines is the dominant supplier of both banana (80%) and pineapple (90%) to Japan.

Canada’s apple crop in 2018/19 is expected to total 395,300 tons. This 14% increase in production is mainly due to better growing conditions in Ontario and British Columbia. Quebec and Nova Scotia faced adverse weather conditions that caused a slight dip in their apple production. FAS/Ottawa estimates that planted apple area increased 2%, as farmers continue to plant new varieties.  New trees entering maturity in recent years continue to add to production.

In 2018/19 campaign, the EU’s apple production is forecast to be up 34% from last year’s small crop, which was blighted by frost, according to FAS/EU-28 data. This would represent a record output for the EU.  Due to the high domestic supply, import volumes are expected to decline, while exports should rise. Poland is expected to be the continent’s largest apple producer, accounting for 34% of the total, followed by Italy (18%), France (12%), Germany (6%), and Hungary (4%. The EU-28 apple production area is falling slowly, mainly in response to the low prices caused by the Russian embargo.

EU pear production is estimated to rise 4% in 2018/19. Variations have been reported in the different growing regions, with increased volumes in the northern countries and a smaller crop in the south. After a record low last year, output in Poland, Germany and Hungary is expected to rebound. The leading six pear producing EU Member States produce a combined 90% of total EU production. Italy is the EU’s largest pear producer, with almost 32,000 ha, and Emilia-Romagna is its main production area, accounting for about 75% of the country’s total.

The 10th edition of the Fruit Attraction fair saw the participation of 81,235 professionals from 122 countries - 19% more than last year. Organised by IFEMA and FEPEX between 23 and 25 October, Fruit Attraction 2018 was the largest and most complete of all its editions with the participation of 1,621 companies from 40 countries.