Oversupply and Falling Cherry Prices on European Markets Due to Increased Output in Italy and Turkey
Wholesale and origin prices for cherries in France and Spain declined sharply in June and July 2026 amid oversupply from Italy, Turkey, and Greece, with French cherry prices down 4% year-on-year to levels 7% below the five-year average.
In France, the 2026 cherry harvest reached an estimated 31,300 tonnes, just 2% below last year's volume despite a 4% reduction in orchard area. This output remains 9% above the five-year average. Wholesale prices for cherries in June 2026 fell by 4% compared to 2025 and were 7% below the five-year average, primarily due to a supply peak when harvests from different regions overlapped and buyer demand was moderate. The presence of smaller fruit sizes this season also contributed to downward price pressure. By late June, the lower prices temporarily stimulated demand and led to a brief market improvement.
A significant factor shaping the market was the abundant supply from Southern Europe and Turkey. Italy, particularly the Vignola IGP production area, reported a 25% year-on-year increase in cherry output for 2026, with over 3,000 tonnes of IGP-certified cherries harvested. Hot weather accelerated ripening and compressed harvest periods across Italian regions such as Vignola, Puglia, and Trentino, causing supply peaks in late May and June. This situation, combined with strong Turkish and Greek exports, resulted in intense competition and oversupply on Central and Eastern European markets, including Poland.
In Spain, cherry growers in Aragón faced extremely low origin prices of around €0.12 per kg (0.50 EUR/kg at farmgate, with production costs above €0.28 per kg (1.20 EUR/kg)), leading to warnings from producer organizations about the economic sustainability of the sector. The Spanish crop was also affected by rain during ripening, causing significant fruit cracking and further reducing the share of marketable fruit. The combination of high costs and low prices has increased pressure on Spanish producers, while consumer prices in retail outlets exceeded €1.2/kg (5 EUR/kg) in some cases.
The cherry supply in Europe during June and July 2026 was dominated by products from Turkey and Greece, particularly in Central European retail. Online trading platforms in Eastern and Southern Europe reported a halving of cherry offers in week 28 compared to the previous week, but Turkish, Greek, and Polish lots remained prominent, indicating strong competition among these origins for market share.
The French and Italian harvests were influenced by regional weather variability, including hail and storms in the spring, but overall production in major regions such as Provence–Alpes–Côte d’Azur and Auvergne–Rhône-Alpes remained close to or slightly below last year's levels. In France, the early Burlat variety suffered a 20% yield loss from May hail, while mid and late-season varieties showed good yields.
Material prepared by the editorial team of fresh-market.info, editor Artur Spiker