Market update: Prunes

French prune crop

The 2021 French crop only represented 16 000 MT (compared to average volumes of previous years between 35 000 and 45 000mt).

Unfortunately, the 2022 French prunes harvest due in August is announced to be again of very restricted volume. The growers will have to cope with two consecutive years of lack of prunes. In early April, the highly severe frost period caused significant damage to the blossoming trees, resulting in current crop estimates not exceeding last year's volume.

With hardly carry – overstock, it was evident that the next campaign will again be a challenge for the supplier. The growers will not only be struck by the second year of bad harvest, but they will also have to cope with excessive gas and petrol prices.

Californian prune crop

The Californian crop expectations are at an average level. Struck by severe drought over the past years, some much-needed rainfalls in winter have been beneficial to recharge soils/reservoirs, but more is needed to ensure good spring and summer growth.

Argentina and Chilean prune crop

With bad Argentinian crop and Chilean crop at normal levels around 87 000 MT but law carry-over, lacking larger sizes and increased exports to Asia (estimated at approx. 50%), the global prunes market will again undergo severe tensions in the coming months and year.