Poland: apple juice concentrate in high demand

Warsaw - The smaller apple crop in Poland is not the only reason for high market prices of apple juice concentrate. The second reason are lower apples crops in China. Instead of 24 million MT (2006 crop) Chinese will probably harvest only 18-19 million MT of apples this season. The world’s demand for apple juice concentrate is of great importance and is probably the main reason, why volume of sales still grows despite very high prices during current season.The world’s total export of apple juice concentrate increased almost three-fold from 403 thousand MT in 1999/2000 to 1,4 million MT in 2006/2007 season. In the same time the share of Chinese export increased from 17% to 63%. Poland is the second supplier in the ranking, whose share in export increased – from 84 thousand MT to 210 thousand MT. Opposite than China, Poland supplies apple juice concentrate with high acidity. What is interesting, despite of lower crops in China, Chinese export of apple juice concentrate still grows and amounted to 551 thousand MT in the first half of 2007 year comparing with 673 thousand MT in whole 2006 year. Between January and July 2007 China was able to export 635 thousand MT of apple juice concentrate (only 370 thousand MT in the same time of 2006). The major difference between Poland and China are prices of raw material. Last year Chinese offered apples for processing at US$100-120 per MT comparing with US$150-185 per MT currently. In Poland prices of apple juice concentrate were stable in last 3 years (US$130-170 per MT) comparing with US$400-460 per MT in this season. Despite this fact, export of Polish apple juice concentrate increased from 62 thousand MT to 79 thousand MT in first 7 months of 2007.
Publication date: 10/5/2007
Author: FreshPlaza Correspondent Poland
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