Fruit from the 2023/24 season is starting to arrive at the factories in Poland now.
The crop is slightly delayed and so the new ripe apples are still rare, but there is always a smaller supply from “interlude-pick out” with very high acid content. These apples were in high demand, even from outside Poland. The supply from the interlude-pick out stopped last week when the acidity of the apples dropped to lower levels. Now there is a natural gap in supply until the main crop starts in mid-September. Growing and harvesting conditions are normal for this time of year in Poland. Polish producers are more or less sold out going into the new crop and residual quantities are mostly contracted. There are reports that some Polish retail fillers have started to request quantities outside Poland to ensure ongoing production. Producers are reportedly reticent in offering annual contracts at the moment. The global industry is aware of a possible short market situation for 2023/24 and negotiations, particularly for the US market, started very early this year. Industry sources suggest that most US buyers are probably now covered until the end of 2023. European end-users that need supplies at the moment are buying on the spot market and will probably wait for the Polish crop to get underway in earnest and then get an idea on the apple supply at Anuga before fixing any longer term contracts.
In related news, elections in Poland will occur this Autumn and fruit growers are important voices for the ruling PIS party in Poland. This may lead to a very unsettled season in Poland and market interventions to support apple prices cannot be ruled out. Turkey has now sold out of supplies from the previous poor crop and is expected to reduce pricing for new season supplies significantly in order to compete on the market.
