Agrexco stonefruit volumes for the 2009 campaign are on course to reach the same level as last year, at around 5,000 tonnes.

The weather in key production areas in Israel has been colder but fruit quality has not been affected. Agrexco product manager Davidi Hayman said: “It is still very early in the season with the first arrivals just about coming in, but the cooler conditions have delayed the ripening of the apricots, putting them about a week behind. The plum harvest should be as scheduled, at the end of this month.”

The Israeli exporter will be introducing a new line of orange apricot, purple-red in colour with a sweet-tasting flesh, as well as a new variety of pear called Red Druz.

Hayman said: “The main emphasis is on Seffi Ben Dor’s ‘families’ - not new as such - playing a greater role in the Agrexco basket - for example, the red-flesh Plumegranate and those lines in the watermelon family.

“Agrexco focuses on the speciality lines so demand for our stonefruit is always high - we need to have that point of difference over our competitors. However, it would be foolhardy to say that we are complacent in this; the economic situation will undoubtedly have an effect on demand for the higher-value products, so it will be interesting to see how it pans out.

“The UK market is totally different to our other key markets in Europe. Demand for quality and taste as always are paramount, but our European customers want the bulk standard stone plums. However, this might differ this year.”

Israeli shipments are due to arrive in the UK until November.

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