Uninspiring apple sales, stocks increase

Apple sales in April were not particularly exciting and stocks as of May 1st are close to 450,000 tons, 30,000 more than last year.

This was announced by Assomela, the Consortium of organizations of Italian apple producers which represents 80% of national production.

The criticalities are encountered mainly for the small sizes and for the category II product, in particular for the Golden, but also for other cultivars.

Considering the difficulties of placing on the market, this product - the Consortium announces - will mainly be destined for transformation.

Given a lower availability, the larger sizes and the first category could, on the contrary, find a better remuneration on the market.

In fact, according to an analysis conducted by Assomela among its members, last season the 80+ calibers for the Golden Delicious represented 50% of the total, for the 2021 harvest only 28%: this is a very significant difference that will clearly weigh on the final settlement to producers.

Concerns remain regarding a generalized decline in consumption which could also impact on the summer months and for the generalized increase in costs, which, in the case of the Italian apple system, are at least 10-12 cents per kilogram higher than last year. year.

At the moment these costs are entirely absorbed by the producers.

Consorzio also believes "it is crucial and urgent to open a dialogue with retailers to verify the existence of absorption margins for negative factors in sales prices in order to redistribute additional costs along the entire supply chain".