Dried Fruit

Prunes: hail damage causes crop losses

July 7, 2022 at 2:28 PM, Der AUDITOR
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SANTIAGO. Hailstorms are said to have had a considerable impact on the French prune crop in June. Even though the first shipments from Chile are available on the European spot market, the market is nevertheless preparing for a tight supply situation.

Supply remains limited

Prunes tend to be among the higher-priced dried fruits this season. However, price increases in alternatives such as dried apricots and dried figs ensure that prunes may continue to be of great popularity. Due to crop failures in previous years, stocks are limited as the carry-over stocks from the last season is limited. In addition, France is expecting a smaller crop again this year due to frost damage during the flowering period, and hailstorms are said to have caused further significant losses in June, according to Chelmer Foods.

With the arrival of the first prune shipments from this year's crop, prices for Chilean goods on the European spot market once again eased a little. Prunes, 40/50 from Chile are currently at a level of EUR 5.10/kg FCA Spain.

Prunes, pitted

Type

EUR/kg

40/50, Chile

5.10

60/70, Chile

4.60

FCA Spain

German imports still declining

Germany has significantly reduced its prune imports of in the current season. Between September 2021 and August 2022, imports totalled 6,741 mt, around 17% less than in the same period last year. Many of the main growing countries had to cut back their supply volumes, with the import volume from Chile at 2,562 a good 8% behind last year, while imports from the USA (-28% to 1,962 mt), the Netherlands (-41% to 451 mt) and France (-51% to 356 mt) also fell significantly.

Prune* imports, Germany, in mt

Supplier

2020/21

2021/22

Diff.

Chile

2,794

2,562

-8.3%

USA

2,736

1,962

-28.3%

Netherlands

760

451

-40.7%

France

719

356

-50.5%

Serbia

232

306

31.9%

Turkey

109

294

169.7%

Uzbekistan

104

165

58.7%

Others

644

645

0.2%

Total

8,098

6,741

-16.8%

Federal Statistical Office of Germany / Sep-Apr

*08132000 Dried prunes

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