Dried cranberries: prices have risen significantly

January 24, 2022 at 3:25 PM , Der AUDITOR
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MADISON/OTTAWA. Low carry-over stocks and the prospect of a relatively small crop have caused spot market prices for dried cranberries to increase significantly in recent months. There is no relief in sight any time soon.

Larger acreage, smaller crop

As market players feared, the market entered the 2021/22 season with the lowest carry-over stocks in the last decade. According to experts at Chelmer Foods, this is particularly worrying because the crop is now relatively small for the third year in a row, even though the INC expects a small increase over the previous year. Chelmer Foods cites the year 2010 as an example, when the crop volume was higher, although the acreage is currently 20% larger than it was back then. The market experts at Catz do not expect the market to ease until the beginning of 2023 - provided that the 2022 crop is better.

Massive price increases

After the farmers had to struggle with low prices for their goods in the past years, less money was invested in new machines etc. This also led to lower yields. Prices on the European spot market have increased accordingly. Cut cranberries from the USA currently cost EUR 4.35/kg FCA Spain; in the middle of last year, prices were still EUR 3.80/kg FCA.

Dried cranberries

Type, origin

EUR/kg

Red, whole, “Ocean“

5.10

Red, cut, USA

4.35

Black, whole, “Cond“, USA

10.90

FCA Spain

German imports noticeably lower

According to the Federal Statistical Office, German cranberry imports fell by almost 17% in the period September-November 2021. Although important producing countries such as Canada (+184% to 1,421 mt) and Chile (+107% to 1,178 mt) were able to massively increase their shipments, this cannot compensate for the high loss suffered by the USA. Previously by far the most important supplier, the USA shipped only 810 mt to Germany in the aforementioned period, a drop of more than 70% compared to the 2,736 mt shipped in the corresponding period of the previous year.

Cranberry* imports, Germany, in mt

Country

2020/21

2021/22

Diff.

Canada

500

1,421

184.2%

Chile

570

1,178

106.7%

USA

2,736

810

-70.4%

Netherlands

368

70

-81.0%

Austria

25

16

-36.0%

Others

10

7

-30.0%

Total

4,209

3,502

-16.8%

Federal Statistical Office of Germany / Sep-Nov

*20089391 containing added sugar, >1 kg

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