August 26 2011, 17:17 Fruit-Inform

Crisis in Russian market for imported fruits

According to Fruit-Inform Project, sales of imported fruits are rather difficult in Russia in the current season. As of today, wholesale prices for bananas and citrus fruits are averagely 2 times lower than a year before that, nevertheless, enables to increase their sales only slightly.

Partially such a situation is observed due to importers' overestimates of sales volumes in summer, as they were based on volumes of last year and the first half of 2011 when prices were high and demand was traditionally exceeding all expectations. However, the demand for imported citrus fruits, bananas and exotics sharply fell in July this year when the supply of cheap domestic vegetables started rapidly growing in the Russian market and early August when the market began to be supplied with local melons, watermelons and fruits.

Experts think that such a situation will be in effect in the market till late September when restoration of demand and certain growth of sales are expected.

We would remind you that more detailed information about the weekly price situation in the Russian and Ukrainian markets for fruits and vegetables, the history of prices over last 5 years and forecasts of their changes as well as full production, import and export statistics is available for subscribers of Fruit-Inform Weekly. Also the detailed fresh produce production, trade and price forecast for Russia will be presented during the Fourth International Conference “Fruit & Vegetable Business of Russia – 2011”. The event will take place in conjunction with World Food Moscow, September 14, 2011. Registration of the conference participants is currently in active progress.