No. 237 No. November/December 2015 November/December English edition Close-up Citrus Dominican avocado Guadeloupe and Martinique banana Counter-season www.fruitrop.com www.fruitrop.com table grape Contenu publié par l’Observatoire des Marchés du CIRAD − Toute reproduction interdite Contenu publié par l’Observatoire des Marchés du CIRAD − Toute reproduction interdite THE LATEST ON... Last chance. Are we finally going to take action? That is the question being asked, or rather ranted, after the probable detection in the Mediterranean (more specifically in the Algarve, Portugal) of a first focal outbreak of the most devastating form of citrus greening. The danger zone in this case covers the entire Mediterranean Basin, the world’s number one citrus export centre. Just like the Chernobyl fallout, the greening bacterium knows no borders. The economic and social stakes are high, as illustrated in full-scale and in vivo by the Floridian citrus industry, dealt a fatal blow by the disease, and at risk of losing its 185 000 ha cultivation area, 62 000 jobs and 5 billion dollars of economic benefits, despite the colossal efforts of professionals and the administration. The consequences would of course be far greater in the Mediterranean, on top of which there would be issues of depopulation of fragile zones, and the absence of an alterna- tive produce providing similar added value. The nutritional stakes too are high, with the Mediterranean supplying in addition to its local markets nearly two-thirds of citruses — the main source of vitamin C — sold worldwide. Those who for years have been sounding the alarm have been heard politely; yet there is not even a rough draft for a Mediterranean epidemic monitoring network, so necessary and so inexpensive in view of the stakes. All the structures directly or indirectly involved in this industry have been found wanting during the prevention phase; there is still time for them to make amends now that the moment for action has arrived. Eric Imbert Publisher Contents Cirad TA B-26/PS4 Direct from the markets (E. Imbert, D. Loeillet, C. Dawson, P. Gerbaud, T. Paqui, R. Bright) 34398 Montpellier cedex 5, France Tel: 33 (0) 4 67 61 71 41 Fax: 33 (0) 4 67 61 59 28 p. 2 OCTOBER 2015 Email: [email protected] • Banana: Fairtrade comment on “UK the undisputed leader on the conventional and www.fruitrop.com labelled banana market” — Purée price in Europe in September 2015 — Growth in EU Publishing Director Hubert de Bon banana consumption halted. Editors-in-chief • Citrus: Spanish citruses: African psylla gaining ground — Orange juice, sure... as long as Denis Loeillet and Eric Imbert it’s Floridian — Orange variety of the month: Salustiana — Pakistan: exportable Kinnow Editor volumes smaller in 2015-16 — Morocco served by five CMA CGM group lines — Easy Catherine Sanchez peelers variety of the month: Clemenvilla — juice prices in Europe in September 2015 — Computer graphics Argentinean citruses: mediocre record for the 2015 campaign. Martine Duportal • Temperate fruit and vegetables: Chilean blueberry exports set to rise again in 2015-16 Iconography — South African stone fruits: set for a fine harvest. Régis Domergue • Avocado: The avocado, a crop of the future for the Canaries — Peruvian avocado tackling Website Actimage the Chinese market — The United States… is not Peru! Advertising Manager • Exotics (pineapple, mango) Eric Imbert • Sea freight and sector news: Other fruits: juice and purée prices in Europe in September Subscriptions 2015. www.fruitrop.com E. Imbert, D. Loeillet, C. Dawson, P. Gerbaud, T. Paqui, C. Céleyrette, R. Bright Translators James Brownlee, Simon Barnard The latest on... Printed by Impact Imprimerie n°483 ZAC des Vautes p. 14 • French West Indies banana 34980 Saint Gély du Fesc, France The FWI banana needs to save its skin! (Camille Rannou) ISSN p. 18 • Counter-season table grape French: 1256-544X Early slot still buoyant? (Cécilia Céleyrette) English: 1256-5458 • Calendar and public holidays Separate French and English editions p. 21 © Copyright Cirad 2016 set to be a bright year (Cécilia Céleyrette) p. 78 • Dominican avocado Subscription rate Big potential exploited in-situ (Bettina Balmer) EUR 300 / 8 issues per year (paper and electronic editions) Close-up by Eric Imbert: CITRUS This document was produced by the Markets News Service of the PERSYST department at CI- p. 26 • Mediterranean citruses — 2015-16 harvest forecasts — Melting away... RAD, for the exclusive use of subscribers. The data presented are from reliable sources, but CIRAD p. 58 • World citrus market — Prudence called for more than ever may not be held responsible for any error or omis- p. 67 • World orange juice market — Change is nearly upon us! sion. Under no circumstances may the published prices be considered to be transaction prices. p. 72 • Citrus pests and diseases Their aim is to shed light on the medium and long-term market trends and evolutions. This pub- p. 73 • Citrus cultivation lication is protected by copyright, and all rights p. 75 • Citrus harvesting and storage of reproduction and distribution are prohibited. p. 76 • Main citrus varieties Wholesale market prices in Europe p. 87 OCTOBER 2015 Cover photograph © Carolina Dawson Contenu publié par l’Observatoire des Marchés du CIRAD − Toute reproduction interdite No. 237 November/December 2015 1 Direct from the markets Banana October 2015 The pressure continued to intensify Fairtrade comment on “UK the undisputed leader on the conventional across the continent. Demand in Europe and labelled banana market”. It was good to see Anne-Charlotte Orefice’s was on the buoyant side, but similar to recent article on the UK banana market, especially the attention given to the prob- last year: the pressure from compet- lems of low retail pricing. We welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate. ing fruits remained limited, promotions Price competition in the banana sector were launched and the fall in tempera- tures boosted consumption. However, Addressing excessive retail price competition requires sector-wide solutions the significant increase in incoming involving government, retailers and certifiers like Fairtrade. Market regulation in shipments unbalanced the markets. particular appears to disincentivise sustainable pricing. This is why, in 2014, the While Costa Rican imports remained Fairtrade Foundation ran a high-profile public campaign, presenting detailed anal- stable, Colombian imports continued ysis of the problem, calling for both government intervention and retailer action. to rise (incoming shipments peaking This included the submission of a petition requesting an investigation into the price wars, signed by over 70,000 people, to the UK Secretary of State for Business. 20 % higher than last year). In addition, We continue to actively advocate on the issues of unfair pricing and competition the Ecuadorian supply was bigger than law, the need for living wages and payment of a sustainable cost of production. last year. Hence incoming dollar banana shipments were 14 % above average. For Campaigning for government and sector-wide industry action, alongside active their part, African and French West Indies engagement with the issues in standards and pricing is far from being a “decla- imports, already high in September, con- ration of powerlessness”, as suggested by Ms Orefice! Fairtrade also remains the tinued their seasonal rise, peaking at 5 % only certification to guarantee a minimum price and premium payment, providing essential protection to farmers and workers in the face of low market prices. above average, especially thanks to Côte d’Ivoire returning to full production. The Fairtrade’s work with smallholder and hired labour producers markets were swollen by dollar banana From the outset, Fairtrade has sourced bananas from both hired labour and spot supplies in ports and by gradually smallholder producers. The vast majority of bananas sold at export are produced accumulating stocks. Highly compet- on plantations. Historically many workers have been employed under appalling itive re-exports from Western Europe conditions. Hence Fairtrade has seen the delivery of improved rights and a fairer saturated the East European markets. share of the economic benefits of trade for banana workers as right and proper: In Northern Europe, free market pric- it was strange to see this presented by the article as a problem. In the case of ba- es rapidly deteriorated. In France, rates nanas, working with both plantations has enabled Fairtrade to offer greater scale, more or less held up until mid-October. with three leading UK retailers committed to 100% Fairtrade, all of whom included Conversely, the Canaries platano price purchasing commitments from smallholders, thus increasing benefits for a wider continued to strengthen on the Spanish group of families involved in banana farming. market, at roughly seasonal levels, es- pecially thanks to the middling supply Minimum price setting against lively demand. Finally, imports The article commented on Fairtrade’s cost of production methodology. Fairtrade into Russia remained in shortfall (- 16 %), minimum price and standards reviews are conducted transparently, in line with with the market balance remaining ISEAL guidelines. All stakeholders are consulted, especially producers themselves. highly sensitive to volume increases. Living wage calculations are also in progress for key origin and pricing reviews now Prices took a downturn at the end of the reference these benchmarks, where available. Full