European market, July-August 2007: Indicators. Banana, avocado, orange, grapefruit, litchi, mango, pineapple, sea freight

Litchi: The litchi market was quiet in July and August, with moderate demand. Fruit deliveries were fairly regular, smallish but enough to supply the retail outlets specialised in exotic fruits. The European market seems to have been less strongly targeted by supplier countries than in preceding years, with shipments better matching the small demand of this time of the year. The Thai season continued until mid-August and Israel started shipping in the second half of July. Prices remained fairly stable, with some variations resulting from fluctuations in arrivals. Mango: The market was fluid in July and became ponderous in August with an increase in supplies and traditional duller demand. The poor end of the Côte d'Ivoire season in June left the market comparatively under-supplied with modest shipments from Senegal and steady but limited batches arriving from Mexico. In August, cumulated deliveries from Senegal, Israel and Brazil gradually led the market into a new period of depression; this was more marked at the end of the month, with the price of sea mango losing EUR 1.00 to 2.00 per box. The air mango market displayed the same overall trend, with weak summer demand. Pineapple: July and August were fairly difficult. Indeed, shipments exceeded demand in June, leaving stocks. Furthermore, problems of quality had a considerable effect on sales. To this was added practically zero demand as many operators were on holiday and it was hardly possible to shift the few fruits present. Supply volumes were even more irregular on the air market. Weak demand did not allow any price recovery at first. However, with the gradual return of operators prices firmed, especially in August, while supply remained very limited. The situation was completely different on the 'Victoria' market as, like the other small exotics, these fruits suffered from general lack of interest. And the uneven quality of the few batches available was not such as to give a boost to demand. (Résumé d'auteur)