Both retail demand and home consumption remain stable. Demand continues for pre-packing quality material as quality issues in stores continue. Dryer weather the past fortnight has allowed fieldwork to continue. Early crops are coming on well despite late plantings. Some areas of the South East are now very dry.
Across Europe, domestic market prices are holding for very best quality from refrigerated stores but there is little interest in ‘secondary’ samples or in the less common varieties. In some situations, supermarkets appear to be prioritising new crop from Egypt and Israel over maincrop. Export is decreasing although there is still movement from France to Spain. Prices for secondary reds have eased recently.
