Poland: Apple farm-gate prices fall as stocks remain high, demand weak

Polish apple prices have declined at the end of the 2025/26 storage season due to higher-than-expected supply and weak demand both domestically and in export markets. As of early July, stocks of dessert apples remain significant, pushing more fruit into processing channels.

At the turn of June and July 2026, the average farm-gate price for first-class dessert apples in Poland was about €0.34/kg (1.46 PLN/kg), nearly 10% lower than a month earlier. Standard varieties saw price decreases of 7–9%. Red Jonaprince apples for sorting were offered at €0.26/kg (1.10 PLN/kg) in early July. In May and June, average prices of Polish apples stood at €0.59/kg (2.52 PLN/kg), around 30% higher than in Germany, but market sentiment remains negative due to poor sales.

Apple supplies remain high. On 1 June 2026, cold storage stocks in Poland stood at 227,000 tonnes, representing 22% of the total European inventory of just over 1 million tonnes—the highest June figure on record. The leading varieties in Polish storage were Red Jonaprince (67,000 tonnes), Golden Delicious (60,000 tonnes), and Idared (60,000 tonnes).

Buyer demand for dessert apples in Poland has dropped sharply since mid-June. Wholesale and retail trade is dominated by seasonal fruit such as cherries and blueberries. Some growers have started redirecting dessert apples to juice production due to slow sales and storage pressure.

Export demand for Polish apples has also weakened. European markets are well supplied, and shipments to distant destinations have fallen. Key export varieties like Gala and Red Delicious did not register further significant price drops, as their stocks were already low after earlier declines. Discussions are under way to open new export markets such as Kenya, but these have not yet translated into volumes.

Weather conditions have not been highlighted as a significant factor in July market reports. Market focus remains on inventories, pricing, and the search for new export opportunities.

Material prepared by the editorial team of fresh-market.info, editor Artur Spiker