The handover from southern to northern hemisphere stonefruit supplies is complete, with limited volumes of fruit from Europe now making their first tentative foray into UK produce aisles. Produce from Israel has also recently become available on the shelves.
Overall peach, nectarine and clingstone peach volumes from Europe for the summer are set to be slightly higher than in 2008, although close to average volumes from 2004-07.
This is the forecast from European stonefruit conference Europêch’, which releases projected European crop figures every year.
European peach and nectarine production is expected to near three million tonnes during this campaign - seven per cent up on 2008. Clingstone peach volumes, usually destined for the processing industry, should just pass the 1mt mark - one per cent up on 2009.
Fruit is largely expected to be of good size and quality across the board. However, the weather over the next few weeks, particularly temperature and light levels, will determine the final quality of the fruit.
Climatically, the autumn and winter could not have been better for European stonefruit production. Heavy rainfall and snow have guaranteed good volumes for 2009. Several weeks of low temperatures helped satisfy fruit tree development in traditionally milder regions such as Spain and Italy.
But a cold snap in Europe at the start of March put paid to hopes for an early season and, at the end of April, relatively low temperatures led to a four- to eight-day delay on early-season varieties.
Frost did not damage European crops too widely this season, despite alerts at the end of February and in mid-March. However, in mid-April, frost did affect localised production areas in Nîmes, France.
Spanish stonefruit shippers in particular will be keen to see a return to form in 2009. Last June, they were plagued by a transport strike that saw fruit backed up in packhouses and orchards for a week, right at the peak of production. But without that to contend with this season and with favourable weather conditions on the cards, shippers are in an optimistic frame of mind.
The Spanish campaign got off to a good start, due to the cold, wet winter and early flowering. However, the cold snap in March pushed back the start of the season by four to five days. This year, forecasts are that Spanish production will not be at its maximum but, in terms of peaches and nectarines, volumes will surpass last year’s figures due to few climatic problems and an increase in production area. Europêch’ figures predict that Spain will record a five per cent rise in peach volumes and six per cent in nectarines.
One exporter tells FPJ: “The Murcian crop is still looking very good and the harvest is somewhat later than other years. There have been some heavy rain and hailstorms around, which we have managed to avoid so far but which have caused damage where they have hit.
“The weather is now set fair for the next few days, so sugars should rise and the fruit take colour.
“Demand is currently higher than supply, but I expect that to change and there to be a more equal balance going forward as the fruit comes on.
“The major chains across Europe have started earlier than other years and that has helped demand.”
Small volumes of Murcian fruit went to the UK last week, he continues - more peaches than nectarines. Plums and apricots are now coming on stream in limited volumes, widening the offer.
“Some are convinced that volumes will be large at the end of May, but time will tell,” he adds.
Italy also benefited from the cold, wet winter in terms of a good start to flowering, but then the European cold snap again pushed back supplies. No significant climatic issues mean that this season, Italy will offer good, but not exceptional, volumes. Forecasts are for a slightly larger crop than in 2008, tipped to be five per cent up in peaches and eight per cent up in nectarines.
France also enjoyed early flowering, but was again held back by the March cold snap. Regional variations in production are due to be rife across the country, which insiders believe will be good for ironing out peaks in production. The last fortnight in April saw hailstorms in the Gard and the Vaucluse that will have affected local production figures. These losses aside, the French are forecasting a peach and nectarine harvest significantly larger than last year - 16 per cent higher in peaches and 15 per cent up in nectarines.
On the apricot front, European provisions are for a 515,000-tonne crop - 12 per cent higher than in 2008. Production in Italy, Greece and Spain is slightly lower, but that will be offset by more than a doubling of volumes in France.
Spanish volumes are forecast to stand at 90,000t, two per cent down from 2008 and a 15 per cent reduction from the 2003-07 average.
The Italian 2009 harvest will be slightly below that of 2008, with volumes due to be near 200,000t, five per cent lower than in 2008.
French apricot production was damaged in the Gard and Vaucluse regions by hail. Total French apricot production will stand at around 170,000t, a 115 per cent leap from 2008, but slightly below volumes in 2005 and 2006.
However, despite crops being in relatively good shape, stonefruit growers in Europe are concerned by the economic crisis, particularly the downward pressure it could bring to bear on prices due to difficult exchange rates. Traditional export markets such as the UK and Russia could become more difficult to access this summer. Will they still be prepared to take risks on certain export markets?
So what of Europe’s other northern hemisphere rivals?
California stonefruit crops are expected to show a 14 per cent decline on production in 2008 and a return to the three-year average of 2004-06.
The California Tree Fruit Agreement (CTFA) has finalised the 2009 fresh peach, plum and nectarine forecasts at a total crop size of 49.6m packages: 21.4m packages of peaches, 8.9m of plums and 19.2m of nectarines. Timing is the same as in 2008, around four to five days later than traditional timings - a factor due to benefit fruit sizing.
The first volumes of Israeli stonefruit also arrived on UK shores at the end of last month, and growers there are confident they can still make good inroads into the market, despite economic pressures.
BING GEARS UP FOR STRONG START
The first California Bing cherries this season are expected to arrive in the UK in volume during the last week of May and will be available for some two to three weeks during early June, according to Jim Culbertson, executive manager of the California Cherry Advisory Board (CCAB), based in Lodi, mid-California.
The crop size is similar to last year, which turned out to be an all-time record of 1,556 tonnes, worth nearly $1 million (£659,000).
The weather for growing has been warm and the cherries are beginning to colour, which in a couple of weeks will provide both retailers and British shoppers with some eye-catching, tasty displays.
According to the CCAB, California has around 600 Bing cherry growers covering more than 26,000 acres, with Bing representing more than 70 per cent of the total cherry crop, worth $300m.
California cherry growers and shippers are planning to export a similar volume to last year to the UK but, until they know the market conditions, it is difficult to make a forecast.
As with the last 10 years, the CCAB is looking to arrange tasting activity in supermarkets, which has proven to be a sound strategy in the past. However, with dire global economic services in force, marketeers are being forced to consider other additional and new activity.
Every market has to consider price, appearance and local economic pressures, so it will interesting to see what happens to Bing in Britain this year.
Bing does have several advantages. First, the cherries are great favourites among the British because of their excellent quality, colour, taste and size. They are also usually the first to arrive, thus heralding the start of the British stonefruit season in the summer. They are not particularly price-sensitive and are welcomed by the grocery trade because they bring excitement to fruit shopping.
Price, however, is important and the recent small rise in the value of sterling is good news for California growers.
Neil Gordon of NMG Consulting, a UK company responsible for marketing the fruit for more than a decade, says Bing sales have risen steadily and the fruit has become a firm favourite among young and old.
“They are an excellent snack, extremely versatile and perfect for the health conscious, as a serving only accounts for about 50 calories,” says Gordon. “They are packed with vitamin C and antioxidants, which fits neatly with the government’s 5 A DAY campaign and its efforts to reduce obesity among young and old and increase longevity.”
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