December 6 2010, 14:59 Fruit-Inform

Russia sharply lowered purchase of Italian apples in new season

According to information of analysts of Fruit-Inform Project, volumes of supplies of Italian apples to Russian market were sharply lowered in new season. Russian purchasers are interested in purchase of apples of “80+” diameter that enter premium segment. But, as to Italian trade sources, there are little big apples in Italy this year due to abnormally cold spring.

Besides this, prices for apples in Russia are now significantly higher than in the last year, while buying capacity of Russians does not impress yet. As a result, Italian apples occur to be too high in price, and purchase of produce is conducted primarily in Ukraine, Moldova, and Poland.

Russian importers expect activity of purchase of apples in Italy to increase significantly since mid January, as Russia decreases import duty for apples 2-fold since January 1. At the same time, at current level of farmgate prices for apples of large diameter, volumes of their supplies to Russian market may significantly decrease.

According to information of analytical department of Fruit-Inform Project, Italy annually supplies Russian market with 20,000-24,000 tonnes of apples, primarily in high price segment. Poland and China are leaders in volumes of supplies of apples to Russia, as they share 40% of overall imports of fresh apples.

We should also note that Ukraine practically burst into number of leading suppliers of apples to Russian market in the current season and holds the third position in list of major exporters. Taking into account high interest to Ukraine's apple business in the whole world, Fruit-Inform Project, for the first time in CIS, systematized all experience of apple business in one study: ”Apples of Ukraine: present situation and prospects of production, storage, post harvest handling, processing, and marketing. More detailed information of the study's content is available here.