One of the world’s largest wholesale markets has reported a slip in the trade of fruit and vegetables.
Rungis International Market in Paris, one of the most prestigious wholesale markets in Europe, expects around a 2.4 per cent slip in fresh produce turnover for 2009 on the €2,892,578 recorded in 2008.
The total fruit and vegetable volume passing through the market in 2009 was 823,585 tonnes with fruit representing 433,746 - a 1.8 per cent decrease on 2008 - and vegetables 389.839t, a 5.3 per cent drop.
In the report, the market said: “Reflecting the milder weather in 2009, the fruit and vegetable sector Rungis Market had a calm year. Despite the farm production problems, volumes remained steady, the boom in some products offsetting difficulties in others.”
The report added that it had been a “relatively quiet year” for the market but some products, such as cherries, had been hit by rain while the global economic slowdown had added to a situation where” prices [were] already weakened by the wait-and-see policy of demand and buyers avoiding any build up of stocks.”
Overall, volumes of fruit grown in France sold at the market increased, particularly on stonefruit while home-grown vegetables fell by nine per cent in volume with asparagus and mushrooms among those suffering a decline.
There are some 347 fresh produce companies on the market of which 204 are wholesalers, 64 are producers and 79 are traders, brokers and import-export companies. Within this there are 3,450 employees within which 3,081 are wholesalers.
The market celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2009.
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