Industry buyout and climate upheaval bring strawberry markets to high demand

Despite the crop damages in January with monsoons and floods, partially effecting on the produce, the cultivar did not endured frosts on its early maturing days and it resulted on resilient and consistent 'pods of straws' for the fresh market. The pulp and confectionery industries may have taken advantage of that and accessed better rates by then, as part of the produce intended for the retail shelves presented minor quality decay.

Also processors rather managing fresh strawberries in the production lines due to better yielding, averaging in 85% fruit utilization, in detriment of the 74% average for the IQF. Pulp suppliers have stocks up to Nov-Dec/22 due to the buyout in case. For the frozen market demand sustains for the IQF, addressing ice cream manufacturers and industries with less carryover stocks for example.

At the other hand in natura strawberry prices climb as the supply shortage and off season period started being felt, reaching $960/mt in the cash market delivered in plants, at São Paulo. And even though Brazil has been maintaining its fresh market sufficient due to a pounding development on the national crop's quality, with simply no imports on the last two years it may need to source retail fresh ones from Chile and/or US for this year campaign.