While the French are pushing pride in home-grown apple varieties throughout autumn, the UK is set to be ushering them in with barely a whisper.
That’s because volumes are down, leaving very little room for promotions and with costs at source on the rise, potential prices at consumer level may also be pushed up.
“There will be less opportunity to promote the products and it will be more a case of straight selling,” says Steve Maxwell, commercial director for Worldwide Fruit.
“We are confident we will get the supply we require, but at a higher price.”
The forecast for overall apple production in France from Prognosfruit shows a 32 per cent reduction compared to 2011. Obviously this will impact on supply, with varieties such as Golden Delicious down by 45 per cent and Braeburn down by 41 per cent.
However, at a time when weather has dramatically damaged fruit yields, the Association Nationale Pommes Poires has launched a new campaign to encourage French consumers to bite into a patriotic apple. Under the slogan ‘New Harvest 2012’, the campaign features a website filled with information on the varieties available, recipe ideas and even an educational pack created by teachers to roll out across classrooms.
An Association Nationale Pommes Poires spokesman says the campaign not only focuses on reasons why apples are nutritionally good to eat, but also divided the varieties into five groups to help consumers understand the different tastes to be had from the fruit.
Given the reduction in volumes, and the French pushing the product in their own country, it would be understandable if UK buyers were concerned about availability.
Maxwell says that despite the shortage, and the growing demand for apples from the Middle East and America, which has seen its own volumes decimated, he believes the solid relationships built between the French and British marketers will ensure our fair share of the produce.
“There are working relationships going back 30 years and that will help us with our supply,” he says.
Daniel Corbell, head of France’s largest apple exporters, Cardell Export, agrees with Maxwell that the British will be given priority.
“For us, the UK is still a major customer, for which, we will give priority in case of arbitration,” he adds.
“All apple prices will have to be higher than last year for the shortage is not only in France but also in Europe and even in the USA. The season is just starting, lots of apples are still on the trees but the quotations for this early season have been a ‘shock’ for many a customer.”
Corbell says many customers have found the higher prices “hard toswallow”. “When you harvest 30 to 50 per cent less than normal of a delicate quality, the growing costs remain the same whatever the yield.
“As a marketer, it will be a difficult task to quote a ‘fair’ price agreed by both growers and customers. However, we are convinced thatUK customers will integrate the new context, especially because same problem occurs in the UK.”
British retailers say they are aware of the challenges the weather has brought for global fruit production but many, including Waitrose, are determined to keep prices competitive.
Greg Senringer, Waitrose buyer for apples, pears and melons, says: “It has been a difficult growing year for apples not just in the UK but also in the US and Europe. Weather has played a major part in this and we expect crops from these sources to be down on last year, including France.
“Quality is key to Waitrose and we are working with our suppliers to ensure continuity of supply at the right quality. UK supply is key to Waitrose during the UK season and aim to have UK where the quality is right. There are a number of varieties we cannot source from the UK, as the conditions are unsuitable, such as the Granny Smith.
“France is still part of our plan for this year as it has been in previous years. Waitrose will continue to offer value for money across our apple range and will ensure it remains competitive in the market.”
Waitrose says its most popular French apple is the Granny Smith, which has suffered a drop in production, but at 28 per cent not as high as many other varieties.
Thanks to historic relationships, this autumn the British will be joining French consumers shopping for grannies. -
