W29: Plum & Prune Update

In W29 in the plum and prune landscape, the Office of Agrarian Studies and Policies (Odepa) reports that in the first half of 2023, Chilean dried plum exports reached 25.62 thousand metric tons (mt), valued at USD 104.4 million. This represents 38.2% of volume and 40.8% of value achieved throughout 2022. Chilean dried plum shipments were mainly destined for China at 5.82 thousand mt (USD 19 million), Germany at 3.46 thousand mt (USD 15.9 million), and Mexico at 2.36 thousand mt (USD 8.7 million). In Chile, European plums are cultivated in an area of 12.55 thousand hectares (ha), with production reaching around 100 thousand mt annually. Two-thirds of the area is destined for dehydrated plums, which undergo a tenderization process tailored to meet specific customer requirements.

In Italy, the plum campaign commenced, witnessing an increase in sales and the introduction of new varieties like Goccia d'oro for the white plum category. Currently, the demand is focused on other products, but the combination of good quality and reasonable prices is slowly attracting consumers' attention toward plums. As the campaign progresses, the market is expected to respond to the offerings positively, thus plum sales are anticipated to pick up further.

The 2023 stone fruit campaign in Extremadura in Spain is off to a promising start, with good crop quality compared to previous years. Plums, being the most significant fruit in volume in the region, are experiencing an extraordinary harvest with high quality flavor, brix levels, color, sizes, and pulp firmness, with only some early fruit batches affected by excessive rainfall. The 2023 plum harvest is progressing faster than usual, potentially leading to a decline in available volumes earlier than expected. This is especially relevant considering the lower fruit supply from Italy due to the heavy rainfall impact. As a result, plum prices, which remained stable, may start rising in the second part of the season. While the overall plum production is slightly lower than the 2022 level, the superior quality compensates for the decrease. The demand for Spanish plums in overseas destinations like Brazil, Mexico, and Canada is high, as they have faced plum shortages for about a month.

Lastly, American plums such as Black Diamond, Emerald, and Midnight Rose were available in W29 in the Chinese market. Black Diamond plums have been on sale for approximately two weeks, while other varieties are in the early stages. Despite the relatively high price, the limited volume and excellent taste of Midnight Rose plums contributed to smooth sales. However, Emerald plums were still slightly sour, affecting their market demand. Traders noted that although the prices and taste of imported plums were comparable to previous years, recent sales were not satisfactory. This is mainly due to the good taste and price advantage of domestic plums, which impacted the demand for imported plums.