The US Department of Agriculture is forecasting a fall in EU production of apples, grapes and pears, due to wet weather conditions that have hindered growth.
The EU’s production of apples is expected to decline over 300,000 tonnes to 12.3 million as adverse weather significantly impacted the harvest throughout the EU.
It also reported that exports are expected to decrease by 75,000 tonnes to 1.5 million as substantially lower shipments to Egypt and Algeria offset gains in Brazil, India, and Eastern Europe. Imports are projected slightly lower to 430,000 tonnes on reduced deliveries from Brazil and Eastern Europe.
However, on a global scale, production is forecast to increase by 728,000 tonnes to 77.2 million - thanks to a rebound in Chile and continued growth in China.
Running Trend
The production of table grapes is also due to decrease. It is expected to fall 61,000 tonnes to 1.7 million as decreasing acreage throughout the EU is also affected by adverse weather in the continent’s top producers Italy and Greece.
Exports are projected to slip to 84,000 tonnes as lower supplies lead to fewer shipments, and imports are expected to increase by 29,000 tonnes to 640,000 as slower production levels struggle to meet a rising demand.
Popularity in China has again boosted production to a general increase on global production levels. It is estimated to rise by 1.1 million tonnes to 22 million.
The situation is the same for fresh pears. EU production will fall 220,000 tonnes to 2.3 million as a result of the wet weather during bloom.
Exports are forecast to slip by 10,000 tonnes to 300,000 and imports will rise by 13,000 tonnes to 235,000.
However, popularity and growth in China and other big markets will offset the poor output from Europe. Global productions is due to increase by 286,000 tons to 25.3 million.
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Aidan O’Sullivan. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
