NUTS & DRIED FRUITS, HEALTHY ENDING OF 2009 SEASON

For dried fruits and nuts, 2009 was not as bad as for other segments in the fruit and vegetables industry, according to President of Besana Group and Vice-President of Freshfel Pino Calcagni.

The global economic slump does not endanger the nuts and dried fruits industry, which keeps growing even if various fruit and vegetables segments were affected by the crisis, as said vice president of Freshfel and president of Besana Group Pino Calcagni (pictured), analysing the industry’s developments in 2009.

“The dried fruit sector – highlighted Calcagni in an interview to the Italian webmagazine Corriereortofrutticolo.it – leaves this year in a better condition than other segments which have been much more affected”.

A global overview of the industry reveals that the harvest volumes were reduced for walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, almonds, while they stayed stable for cashews. Drastic reduction for pine nuts, whose prices had a real surge, increasing their market share by 50% thanks to the low availability of product. Globally, the production of dried fruit decreased by 15-20%. In Europe, turnover was reduced on average by 10% in those countries that have most experienced difficulties, such as Greece, Spain, Britain and Scandinavia, and 5% in other countries like France, Holland, Belgium and Germany.

In North America, Canada had a slight decline, while in the U.S. an alternate trend was registered (a real boom for almonds, while hazelnuts showed an unremarkable tendency). Both production and consumption were outstanding in South America. After a slow beginning of the year, in Brazil walnuts have recovered thanks to the increase in prices estimated at around 40%. Hazelnut prices are to increase by 30% in Turkey.

“The exchange rate between euro and dollar influenced a lot our industry – said Calcagni. “Europeans could thus enjoy a mitigation of prices.” As for dried fruits, globally harvests were good on average – Calcagni stressed – except for raisins, which recorded -30% in volumes, considering just Turkey and California, while prices increased by 30%.” Abundant harvest for figs, even though heavy rains have caused a loss of production by 35%.

“Despite the economic situation – stressed the president of Besana Group – the industry is healthy, and prices are generally stable, also thanks to good consumption in the Far East, especially India and China.”

Regarding Besana Group, Calcagni said he was “comforted by the good performance of the company business. The export share stands stable at around 82% (70% of which in Europe). 100% of the amount has been processed, while value fell by only 6%. Good performance in exports have been obtained in France, then in Japan, China and Arab countries that have reached 6% of our exports (only a few years ago it was 2%). In Northern Europe, we have held all our positions.”

Source : Greenmed