Hail damage in Valencia pushes availability below earlier forecasts, as supermarket demand for the fruit continues to grow
Dutch company Staay Food Group says it expects market demand for persimmons to keep growing as the fruit becomes more of a mainstay on European supermarket shelves, although this year’s Spanish supply will likely be lower as a result of recent poor weather.
As a result, a combination of higher demand and slighlty limited availability means this year’s Spanish campaign could be particularly interesting for suppliers.
With the first arrivals from Spain due to arrive in the Netherlands this week, the group said volumes would gradually increase, with wider availability starting in weeks 42 and 43.
According to agricultural organisation La Unió Llauradora, this season’s harvest in the region of Valencia is about 34 per cent lower than last time.
But other production areas could potentially help to fill that gap, with sizes are generally expected to be slightly larger than last year.
“The outlook for the new season was initially positive, but a hailstorm this summer in one of the Spanish growing regions has affected the expected production,” reported Sander Rutten, the group’s persimmon specialist.
“As a result, availability for the season is now estimated to be lower than previously anticipated, particularly for the highest-quality segments.”
To maintain availability, Staay said it worked with growers and production areas in various regions of Spain.
“This diversification helps minimise risks and ensure that customers receive a stable supply of products, even when local weather conditions affect the harvest,” he added.
“This season shows just how dependent persimmon cultivation remains on weather conditions. Due to hail and storm damage, we expect lower availability, while demand for persimmons remains as strong as ever.”
Strong performance
Also known as kaki, persimmon has apparently performed well in the Dutch retail arena for several years.
According to figures from Circana and shared. by Staay, the category has grown by more than 50 per cent since 2021, both in terms of volume and sales.
“We’re seeing this trend at Staay as well,” Rutten confirmed. “Demand for persimmons continues to rise, causing the product to establish itself more and more firmly as a staple on the autumn shelves.”
Spain is Europe’s leading persimmon supplier, and is in peak season from October to December, continuining through until early February.
