Lebanese organic apple farmers as well as exporters are preparing to launch their campaign this year. As per Rudolph Elias, CEO of Agreen Organics, the campaign will be successful, as the demand and quality will be at the forefront.
“We already have several varieties that is available for sale in the month of June. It’s a scarce green one that’s not very popular, but is known in the local language as mufti. To get the most sought-after kinds, the calendars are set to start around mid-July, for the gala. Mid-September is for the double reds and golds and different varieties based on the area. The regions in the southern part of Lebanon are the first to open for this year’s ball, while the festival closes by harvesting Northern Lebanon. country.”
The conditions for production are “excellent” for this season, says Elias his team, easing the concerns of growers in the past. Elias explains “We were concerned regarding the effects of global climate change that is affecting the entire globe. But in the end we enjoyed a good winter weather, and perfect phytosanitary and climatic conditions for organic apples. A few regions saw days of hail and some damage that occurred in these particular regions. Overall, Lebanese apples are very excellent quality during this time and especially in the regions where hail storms were not a problem as well as from farmers who use protection equipment.”
The market for Lebanese apple is expected to remain very high, says the exporter “Our traditional markets, such as Iraq and Egypt continue to be at the forefront of consumption. Alongside these markets however, we’ve managed to gain access into some Asian markets, as well as within the Gulf countries through the arduous efforts of groups of exporters and growers throughout the season. We’ll keep building on this momentum and establish market openings across Europe which is why, as of we’ll attend the importers’ meeting at Fruit Attraction in Spain.”
Lebanese exporters and growers join forces to ensure that organic apples are more appealing to buyers on the international market. As per Elias, “a reorganization is being implemented to consolidate the management of customer matchmaking and provide assistance to farmers. The goal of this restructuring is to remove one stage of the buying process eliminating one middle man in the commercial chain. Centralization of the process will make it easier to obtain higher prices for farmers as well as importers and exporters of Lebanese apple.”
“Export calendars will start when the crops are harvested and the export method is most popular,” adds the exporter, “There will also be storage of the goods in cold warehouses that are available through March. We have also constructed solar-powered refrigerated warehouses that will allow us to cheaper export costs.”
The production and storage elements will lead to an ” very wide range of prices ” in the case of organic Lebanese apple varieties, which are typically classed in the premium sector. Elias says, “Prices will depend on specifications and types as well as the timing of the event. Prices that are the best will be exports in the early stages of harvest. Additionally, the less production of the areas affected by hail could be a factor in the costs, and they will be somewhat higher than normal.”
More information is available here:
Rudolph Elias
Agreen SAL
Tel: +961 9 211411
Email: info@agreen.org
Source: The Plantations International Agroforestry Group of Companies