Apple imports on the slide in Russia

A year-on-year import volume dip of 7.3 per cent has been noted by market analyst Fruit-Inform Project for January and February 2011

Russia has reported on a decrease in apple imports heading to the country through the early months of 2011, with shipments in January and February falling by 7.3 per cent on the same two months of 2010.

Analysts at the Fruit-Inform Project attributed the drop to price growth and an overall shortage of high quality apples from Poland and the EU.

"Russia lowered apple imports due to the growth of prices being sharper than last season, and an overall shortage of high-quality apples from Poland and the European Union," confirmed Andriy Yarmak, head of Fruit-Inform Project.

"However, decreasing apple imports were compensated for by growth in imports of bananas, oranges and mandarins, which grew by 7 per cent, 26 per cent and 14 per cent respectively over the first two months of 2011," he added.

Poland continued to lead the way in terms of export volumes with 37 per cent market share, followed by China, Serbia, Germany Moldova, Belgium and Ukraine.