W20: Peach & Nectarine Update

In W20 in the peach and nectarine landscape, in Italy, bad weather negatively affects the demand for Spanish peaches and nectarines. In particular, supplies are increasing especially for yellow-fleshed cultivars, in the face of a demand that is struggling to take off. Furthermore, the quality is not yet optimal with the large-sized product also still not available. Overall, 2023 prices stand at lower levels than in 2022. In the US, the California stone fruit season is starting late in 2023 by about three weeks compared to historical starts due to a combination of cold and rain. US yellow peaches and yellow nectarine harvesting started on May 12th and in W20, harvesting of US white-fleshed peaches and white-fleshed nectarines is expected to begin. It is anticipated that supplies during the early part of the season will be tight because some of the trees had a light set. However, mid-June to the later part of June should yield more of a normal size crop. US peach and nectarine pricing in 2023 are expected to be stronger than in 2022 due to high demand pressure.

Greenhouse nectarines produced in the Shanxi and Shaanxi provinces in China are about to enter the market. It is reported that 2023 domestic Chinese nectarines have had a bumper harvest. Both the smoothness of the skin and the sweetness of the taste of Chinese nectarines are ideal. However, due to the high price and weak purchasing power in the market, many buyers are not engaging, thus the harvest period is about a week delayed compared to previous years. Currently, the purchase price of greenhouse nectarines is about USD 1.70/kg, about 25% lower than in the same period in 2022. The low price is due to low market acceptance, which is likely to decline in the future. Lastly, in the Turkestan region in Kazakhstan, due to the harsh winter, peach trees suffered significantly from the frosty environment, leading flower buds to die. The 2022 winter in Kazakhstan was characterized by frost, with low temperatures for about a month, dropping to -30 for almost two weeks. Also, a strong wind in the spring broke the branches of peach trees and damaged the buds.