The season of Greek plums is entering its final stretch with the upcoming start of the harvest of the latest variety, Angelino. "The harvest of Angelino will begin in the last days of August. Certainly, we do not see the tragic damages that occurred in earlier fruits, but we cannot accurately estimate what production we will have. On average, it is estimated to be one-third lower than last year. We prefer to wait for the beginning of the harvest to speak with greater certainty on this matter," says Mr. Dimitris Rafailidis, CEO of the trading company Magna.
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However, this summer has not brought good sales for Greek plums, and Greek distributors have been left with large quantities in their cold stores. "What worries us is the many unsold quantities of summer plum varieties that remain in distributors' refrigerators. With the prices that were being asked, enough shipments abroad could not be made, nor in the domestic market, which is the one that absorbs the largest volumes. It is clear that plums are the failed product code of this summer," Mr. Rafailidis stresses emphatically.
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As he describes: "At the beginning of the season, EXW prices of 1.60–1.70 or even 2 euros per kilo were being asked for some very high-quality batches, and indeed some sales were made at those levels. But not much was sold that way. So, we reached the end of August with prices having fallen to half of what I mentioned, and even so, sales are barely taking place. In fact, some markets have set a cap of 1 euro in order to buy. Traders are wondering whether it is worth waiting longer in case prices rise, or whether they should eventually accept the current situation to move the product before it remains completely unsold. In any case, summer plums can last until September 15."
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Within this context, Magna is making moves to stand out by launching for the third year a plum exclusively from its own production in Greece, the club variety Green-Red. "We are in the middle of its harvest, and we are satisfied with the fruits we are receiving. This year, mature trees are yielding 20 tons per hectare, and sizes range from 55 to 70 mm. Commercially, they are moving very pleasantly in the two central wholesale markets of the country, as they stand out and are chosen for their taste," notes Mr. Rafailidis.
For more information:
Dimitris Rafailidis
Magna
Tel: +30 233 109 3066
Email: [email protected]