Information for fruit and vegetables business in CIS
Russia reduces banana imports
According to Fruit-Inform, Russia has reduced banana imports in September 2014.
The import volumes stood at just 89,000 tons, a decrease of 10% year-on-year. Ecuador was the main supplier of bananas to Russia with the share of 96% in Russia's total imports.
Fruit-Inform analysts connect a fall in imports with the devaluation of the Russian rouble. As a result, banana prices have significantly gone up in Russia. For the present, bananas are offered at RUB 40-50/kg (USD 0.91-1.14/kg), depending on sales region, an increase of 25% compared with the same period of the previous season.
Moreover, Russian consumers now prefer domestic seasonal fruits such as apples and pears. It should be noted that domestic apples are now 15% less expensive in Russia compared with a year ago.
We would remind you that Russia purchased 1.29 mln tons of bananas in the season 2013/14 (September-August). Those volumes were almost similar to ones registered in the previous two seasons. Thanks to an increase of 17% in exports to Russia, Ecuador managed to compensate a fall in banana exports from Costa Rica and the Philippines registered in the past season.