In General

With schools reopening next week, increased movement of supply through retail supermarkets is already evident. Demand and price levels are expected to continue strengthening as consumer activity picks up, which should help support the market and alleviate current stock build-up.

Vessel delays, including extended transit times at transhipment ports, together with ongoing congestion at Jeddah and Khor Fakkan, continue to delay container clearances and create supply bottlenecks, disrupting the flow of product into key markets.

The pace of port clearances, availability of transport, and efficiency of cross-border logistics will remain critical factors influencing market conditions across the Middle East.

• Citrus
• Pome
• Grape, Stone & Kiwi Fruit
• India & Bangladesh
• PPECB Statistics

Lemons

Lemon availability continued to increase as further Southern Hemisphere arrivals entered Middle Eastern markets. Higher supply levels, combined with continued weak demand, kept the market under pressure.

Oranges

Egyptian Valencia oranges remained available, while South African Navel volumes continued to build. Increased availability from South Africa maintained strong competitive pressure in the market.

Grapes           

Egyptian grape volumes remained limited, while demand continued to be relatively low. Competition from other seasonal fruits remained strong, continuing to affect sales and overall market activity. Spanish grapes remained in the market at higher price levels compared with Egyptian fruit, although buying interest remained limited.

Stone Fruit

Plums
Egyptian plum supplies remained limited, while demand continued to be weak. The market remained slow.

Kiwi
Kiwifruit shipments from Iran to Dubai are expected to be affected by the current restrictions on Iranian commodities entering the UAE market.

India

Mandarin

With the early end and lower volumes of the mandarin season in SA demand and prices have picked up in the market. Last arrivals of SA apples should be by the end of next week.

Bangladesh

Citrus sales

Sales are steady on Valencia’s and the vendors are making a profit.

Demand is still there for South African Valencia’s.