Apples and pear from Catalonia 2021

Catalonia is one of the major apple and pear producing regions in Spain. The Association of Fruits in Catalonia (Afrucat) members' production represents 65% of apple production in Spain and 50% of pear production in Catalonia state. Recently, Afrucat has released a forecast for the 2021 pear and apple season, which reports an increase of 16% in apple production and a 14% reduction in pear production.

Apple exports from Spain have been on an upward trend from 2018, with France, Portugal, the UK, United Arab Emirates, and Mauritania as the main importers responsible for 54.9% of the total import of fresh Spanish apples. The increased availability of apples this season will keep Spanish apple competitive in the international market.

Particularly, the apple production from Afrucat members is expected to reach 273 thousand MT in 2021. However, it is still lower than the record-high production in 2019, which accoutns for 315 thousand MT but shows a recovery from last year’s break in the production that reached 235 thousand MT. The increase in acreage was steady at around 400ha per year, particularly for new varieties, Gala and Fuji.

Source: Tridge, ITC

On the other hand, pear production volume is forecast at 118 thousand MT from the Afrucat members with the varieties: Conference, Limonera, Williams/Barlet, Blanquilla, and Ercolini. The reduction of 14% is due to the frosts that hit the Catalonia region in March damaging pear trees and affecting their health for normal production. Spain is ranked as the seventh pear exporter with 116 thousand MT exported in 2020. Due to the reduction, pear market price in Spain will remain strong during this year. On top of that, the frost in March hit other pear producing regions in Europe as well, further reducing the prospects of pear volume in the global market. Particularly, in the European Northern countries, the production is expected to drop by 30%, and for Central Europe, the damage could reach 50% of the yield. Since Europe is a global source of pears and the domestic deficit will limit the export volume, affecting the outbound volume to main importers.

Source: Tridge, ITC

Domestic pear and apple prices in Spain

The wholesale prices of pear in Spain of the variety Ercolini have been stable for the past 3 months at an average of USD 2 per kg, with a high at the end of February and beginning of March when the news of the frosts pushed prices up to almost USD 3 per kg. The last price from July 19th was USD 1.83 per kg and prices shall increase as the pear season develops with smaller volumes to offer.

Ercolini pear wholesale price in Spain

Source: Tridge

The Granny Smith apple wholesale prices in Spain ranged from USD 1.49 to USD 2.25 in the last 12 months. The last price on July 19th was USD 2 per kg. The start of the season in various parts of Europe including Catalonia with a higher output will push prices down.

Granny Smith wholesale price in Spain

Source: Tridge

Sources:

• Fresh Plaza. Translated from Spanish. “Catalonia increase apple production in 16% and pear production in 14%”
  
• Fruitnet. “More apples but fewer pears for Catalonia”
  
• Agronegocios. Translated from Spanish. “Catalonia increase apple production in 16% and pear production in 14%”
  
• Mapa. Afrucat.