Combined Southern Hemisphere apple and pear exports from Argentina, Chile, New Zealand, Brazil and South Africa have apparently experienced a “considerable fall” in volume during 2011/12.
According to World Apple and Pear Association (WAPA) figures reported by SimFRUIT, apple shipments contracted by 8 per cent to 1.34m tonnes up to October 2012, while pear consignments fell by 11 per cent during the same period.
The country with the biggest overall decline in apple supply was Argentina, whose shipments decreased by 26 per cent up to week 28.
Conversely, Brazil and South Africa both posted apple export increases of 12 per cent and 7 per cent up to week 36 respectively, the report said.
Market-wise, total Southern Hemisphere apple sendings to Europe were down by 12 per cent to 455,552 tonnes, against the 518,727 tonnes recorded during the same period last year.
Of that total, Chile had the biggest export fall of 22 per cent, according to WAPA, while again Brazil and South Africa saw increases of 34 per cent and 3 per cent respectively.
Southern Hemisphere apple shipments to the US and Canada rose by 19 per cent, reaching 178,160 tonnes, compared with 149,172 tonnes up to October 2011.
The biggest increase in apple arrivals on the North American market was from Argentina, whose volume soared by 91 per cent, while Chilean supply grew by 26 per cent.
Chile was the leading Southern Hemisphere apple supplier to North America in 2011/12, delivering some 135,007 tonnes, the report said.
In the pear category, exports from the Southern Hemisphere to Europe fell by 25 per cent due largely to a 43 per cent decline in pear sendings from Argentina.
Total volume to Europe reached 212,938 tonnes up to October this year, compared with 283,698 tonnes up to the same point in 2011.
Southern Hemisphere pear shipments to the US and Canada also fell by 8 per cent to 62,656 tonnes, according to WAPA.
New Zealand’s 30 per cent downturn represented the biggest fall in pear volume to the North American market from the Southern Hemisphere.
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