French market, September 2005 : indicators. Banana, avocado, orange, grapefruit, litchi, mango, pineapple, sea freight

Banana: Market performance was excellent this month once again. Total arriving shipments increased to very close to the average. However, in spite of the moderate releases in France, the situation remained satisfactory thanks to active export demand from clients in Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom and Germany. Prices thus remained at levels not seen since 1997, in spite of a seasonal dip at the end of the month. Avocado: As we had expected since the second half of August, the market deteriorated strongly. Arrivals have been massive. Mexican exporters concentrated on the US market but those in Chile showed their determination to gain an increasingly larger position in Europe at this time of year. Prices were about 30% down on the three-year average as consumption is usually small at this time of year just before the end of the school holidays. Orange: No improvement was seen in September. On the one hand, the Indian summer weighed on citrus consumption in general and on the other the quantities available from both South Africa and Argentina were larger than last year. The average monthly price returned to 2002 and 2003 levels after the fine performance in 2004. Grapefruit: The situation was disappointing, especially for Honduras, the main origin supplying the market in September. Firstly, competition from the other origins was fiercer than in the preceding seasons, especially with regard to small fruits, in spite of the absence of Cuba. Secondly, demand was sluggish (the warm weather did not encourage consumption and the overall quality of supplies was only average). Although lower than last year, prices were comparatively strong. Litchi: Demand remained subdued for the whole of September. It is true that supplies were not very large. Most of the fruits were from Israel and, to a lesser degree, from Spain. The price variations observed throughout the month doubtless resulted more from the uneven quality of the Israeli fruits than from irregular deliveries. The European market will doubtless be under-supplied in October when the Israeli and Spanish seasons are over and before the first litchi arrives from the Indian Ocean (Mauritius, Madagascar, South Africa and Réunion). Mango: September was a true transition period for market supply and conditions. The sources were Israel and Brazil, with the first coming to an end and the second increasing shipments. The switch from one origin to the other took place more or less rapidly on the various European markets. The sudden, rapid increase in shipments from Brazil at the end of the month sent the market into a new period of tension. Pineapple: The decrease in demand that had begun in July on the avocado market continued throughout August. Business recovered noticeably at the beginning of September with varied supplies and demand that without being euphoric was firmer. It targeted mainly 'Sweet' (MD-2) fruits. A slight decrease in the volumes shipped by air enabled the origins present to maintain a certain price level. Sea freight: The September Spot market mini-peak mirrored developments 12 months ago - although average TC returns are 19% lower than September 2004, this is almost exclusively because of the impact of high bunkers. Hurricane Rita did its best to do damage to all the oil production missed by Katrina and the effects are still being felt today. High bunkers are not likely to be a short-term blip but rather with the industry for the duration! (Résumé d'auteur