World and Russian Market of Fresh Fruit and Berries. Current Situation and Forecast.

The New Year’s Day is approaching – the holiday which is at all times associated with the traditional meat salad and tangerines. It is flavor and sweetness that made tangerines be perceived as the fruit used to create good mood.

To dissatisfaction of many consumers, this citrus fruit is not grown in Russia almost at all, so they can buy only imported products on Russian markets.

During 2009-2012 imported tangerines steadily rose in volumes. In 2012 the increase of the volume of imported products of the given segment on the Russian market amounted to 2.8% in natural terms and 4.1% in money terms, comparing to the previous year. The rate amounted to 755.8 ths. t and 741.8 mln dollars, respectively.

It should be noted that in 2012 the largest suppliers of tangerines to Russia in 2012 were MAROC FRUIT BOARD (Morocco), NATIONAL FRUIT PROCESSING FACTORY (Pakistan), Argentinian FAMA IMP. & EXP. S.A. and BURY SP.Z O. O. and Israeli MEHADRIN THUPORT EXPORT.

At that, the share of flavousome Abkhazian tangerines, which are traditional for most of Russian population, amounted to only 4 % in 2012. According to Russian Customs Office, as of November 2013, since October Russia has imported as many as 1143 t of agricultural products from Abkhazia: feijoa, persimmon and tangerines, which is 5.5% more than in the same period last year.

On the threshold of the New Year demand for ‘New Year’ tangerines from Abkhazia rises several times. However, the demand is by far covered by supply – at this time up to 700 t of tangerines cross the border a day.

The most popular product of the New Year’s Day is not grown in Russia (.pdf) (Russian language).