Global peach and nectarine production to climb slightly

The global 2021/22 peach and nectarine crop is projected to rise slightly to 21.8 million tons, with China’s recovery of production offsetting weather-related losses in the EU and Turkey. Exports are forecast to fall as gains in the US are not sufficient to compensate for reduced shipments from China and Uzbekistan.

EU production is forecast down 539,000 tons to 2.7 million tons as growers in leading Member States Spain, Italy, Greece, and France experienced a second straight year of destructive frost and rain. Spain and Italy also continue to reduce planted area to further combat oversupply and relieve downward pressure on prices. Reduced supplies are expected to prolong trends of lower exports and higher imports, with exports down to 175,000 tons and imports up to 40,000 tons.

China’s production is expected to rebound from last year’s snow-damaged crop, rising 1 million tons to 16 million, according to USDA data. Despite higher supplies, exports are forecast down 23,000 tons to 55,000. Coupled with weak demand from top market Vietnam, shipments to Kazakhstan have yet to recover despite the lifting of a ban on China stone fruits due to detection of quarantine pests. After several years of growth, imports are also expected to ease to 36,000 tons as higher costs and quarantine requirements for cold-chain products deter importers.