There seems to be pressure on the prices of dessert raspberries, but...

The raspberry market in Poland has definitively entered the phase of harvesting fruits from repeat varieties. The supply of these raspberries, known as autumnal ones, has noticeably increased in recent days, leading to a strengthening pressure for a decrease in prices of these fruits in the wholesale fresh fruit market. This pressure is still visible, but so far it has not been so effective. So, what is the current pricing situation of dessert raspberries in large wholesale?

The prices of dessert raspberries in large wholesale markets have experienced both a significant price reduction (-13% over the weekend) and an upward rebound (though it did not fully offset the previous decline) in a relatively short period of time. As a result, the current selling prices of these fruits are mostly between 14.00-28.00 PLN/kg, which is approximately 3.26-6.51 EUR/kg, depending on the region of the country, quality, and packaging. There are still offers for the fresh market at 10.00-13.00 PLN/kg (2.33-3.02 EUR/kg), but these are now isolated cases. The price range has clearly bounced back up. Significantly, it has managed to maintain a level that provides a slightly better average price compared to the average price from the previous five years (+3%).

Especially noticeable are the limitations in the supply of nice, high-quality fruits. This is the result of not very favorable weather conditions and the consequences of a widespread reduction in crop protection among producers. After a poor season in terms of prices last year, this is a common phenomenon.

source: author's own elaboration based on GUS data

Let's remember that the preliminary estimation by GUS, published last week, forecasts this year's raspberry harvest to be significantly lower than last year's. In fact, they are expected to be the lowest since 2019, as seen in the chart above. Also, note that this year's season started earlier, and its calendar is still ahead of the typical "raspberry season schedule," meaning the final phase of the campaign, where supply decreases, will arrive earlier.

These factors - lower harvests and an accelerated timetable for raspberry harvesting campaign - suggest that prices in the fresh market may remain relatively high, possibly at the level of the long-term average. Of course, the key factors here are weather conditions and whether there will be any significant imports from Ukraine in our market.