W28: Peach & Nectarine Update

In W28 in the peach and nectarine landscape, Spanish peach and nectarine fruits were dominant in the German market, followed by supplementary supply from Italy. The peach and nectarine supply from France and Greece played a minor role in comparison. Turkish fruits, on the other hand, received little attention as they were not always convincing in taste. As a result, their demand remained limited in the market. In Italy, 2023 peaches and nectarines are experiencing a continued decline in prices, reaching lower price levels compared to the 2022 season. While there were smaller quantities produced in Emilia-Romagna due to floods, the overall availability of the fruits is still very good. However, the demand is low, and the hot weather is causing the product to deteriorate. The fruits are mostly medium to large calibers in size.

Around 75% of peach and nectarine production in Georgia is concentrated in the Eastern region of Kakheti. Farmers from this region report a high yield and good quality products in 2023 due to the absence of hail damage, which is a common occurrence in the area. However, heavy rainfall in Jun-23 affected the yield of some varieties. Despite this, peach prices remain stable compared to 2021, when production was at one of its highest levels in the last five years. The farmer's price for nectarine ranges from USD 0.50/kg to USD 0.65/kg. For peach, the price ranges from USD 0.65/kg to USD 0.75/kg. Additionally, exporters need to consider adding about USD 0.25/kg for sorting, packaging, and loading. The peaches are sold in domestic markets such as Tbilisi and Batumi. Also, Georgian peaches are actively exported to various destinations including Krasnodar, St. Petersburg, and Moscow in Russia, as well as Ukraine, Azerbaijan, and Armenia.

Lastly, the French Ministry of Agriculture expects the 2023 French peach, nectarine, and apricot harvests to surpass the average of recent years. This is attributed to the Jun-23 rains that benefited the majority of production regions. Agreste's estimates project 2023 French peach, nectarine, and apricot production at 231 thousand metric tons (mt), a 1% YoY increase and a 3% increase compared to the average harvest from 2018 to 2022. In Roussillon, the continuous rainfall in Jun-23 alleviated the risk of severe water resource restrictions. In the leading production basin of Occitania (Roussillon and Gard), the harvest is expected to increase by 6% YoY and by 9% compared to the five-year average. However, in the Rhône Valley, bad weather in Jun-23 resulted in losses in stone fruit orchards, leading to a 19% decrease in production.