"Based on end-of-season estimates, as of September 1, 2022, strawberry acreage for the 2021 season would be 4,000 ha, unchanged from a year earlier, along with production estimated at 76,000 t. The high temperatures during the summer have accelerated the ripening of strawberries and increased the volumes harvested during this period, compensating for the lower harvests at the beginning of the season. They also shortened the length of the season. The reduction in supply available on the market from mid-June onwards was accompanied by a recovery in prices in July, above the five-year average," says Agreste in its economic report.
Strawberries: stable production for the year 2022
As of September 1, 2022, the latest estimate of strawberry production for 2022 is 76,000 t. The 2022 production would be almost identical to that of 2021. Strawberry acreage would be 4,000 ha in 2022, stable compared to 2021. The heat waves and generally high temperatures have had an impact on production rates: accelerated ripening of strawberries, especially during the summer. They also sometimes weaken and shorten the production season, with weak harvests of
varieties.
Return of a balanced market in July due to slower production
At the beginning of the 2022 season, which started late, the low level of supply favored good prices for strawberries at higher levels than in previous years. From April onwards, the influx of Spanish strawberries and the simultaneous harvests in the different basins, with a more concentrated production peak in 2022 around mid-May, caused a drop in prices, which was more pronounced than in previous years. The usual reduction in supply from mid-June onwards, in the face of continuing demand, was accompanied by a recovery in prices. In July 2022, farmgate prices were slightly higher than in 2021 (+1%) and significantly higher than the 2017-2021 average (+13%). Over the January-July 2022 period, imports totaled 59,000 mt, up 3% year-over-year. Exports (9,100 t) increased to a lesser extent (+2%) year-on-year. The trade deficit (-50,000 tons) still continues to widen (+4%).
Source: Agreste