Professional Documents
Culture Documents
February 2007
CONTENTS
Key observations and recommendations................................................................1 Background................................................................................................................2 Global Production and Trade in Dried Fruits ..........................................................2 Market access requirements and tariffs ..................................................................7 Legislative requirements..............................................................................................7 Food Safety, General...................................................................................................8 Marketing standards ....................................................................................................8 Other market requirements..........................................................................................9 Information on Companies Interviewed...................................................................9 Channels of distribution .............................................................................................12 Produce Requirements and Preferences...................................................................12 Packaging..................................................................................................................13 Labeling .....................................................................................................................14 Price data .................................................................................................................14 Major competitors....................................................................................................16 Moldovan Dried Fruits: Perceptions and Recommendations ..............................17 Annex 1 . List of reference materials .........................................................................18 Annex 2. List of companies interviewed.....................................................................19
14 hypermarkets (Carrefour, Cora, Intermarche, Kaufland); 71 supermarket (Billa; GMarket; UniversAll, Mega Image ; La Fourmi); 63 discount stores (Penny Market, ; XXL Mega Discount; Plus Discount; Profi; miniMAX DISCOUNT) and 34 Cash&Carry stores (Metro Cash&Carry; Selgros Cash&Carry )
Background Global Production and Trade in Dried Fruits This report examines the Romanian market for the principle dried fruits that can be produced in Moldova, ie Prunes (dried plums), Apples, Apricots and to a lesser extent cherries. Accurate, uniformly compiled statistical information on global production of dried fruit by country is largely unavailable. However, it is widely recognized that levels of production and export of dried fruits are associated with national levels of fresh fruit production. Dried Prune Production China is the leading producer of fresh plums, producing 49% (4.6million MT) of global production. Germany and Romania, are the next major fresh plum producers, followed by the USA and Chile. See Table 1.
However, the United States, France and Chile are the worlds key dried plum producers3, and also the worlds largest exporters of dried plums. Typically, the USA and France export 40% of their prune production 45,800MT and 29,700MT respectively in 2005, and Chile exports 90% of production, 29,400MT in 2005. Volumes of US production were low in 2004 and 2005, caused by very poor harvests; the 2006 harvest is predicted to be good (National Agricultural Statistics Service, USA).
Table 1: 2005 Production of Fresh Plums and Exports of Dried Prunes by country leaders Country Production Exports % Share of Fresh Dried Global Plums Prune value of 000 MT 000 MT Dried Fruit Exports
Japan, the UK and Germany are the largest markets for USA produced prunes, Algeria, the UK, and Germany are the largest markets for French prunes. Chiles major client country is Mexico, but the EU is also supplied.
World 9,458 154.7 100 China 4,635 0.6 <1 Germany 568 1.6 2 Romania 409 USA 300 45.8 31 Chile 255 29.4 19 Spain 218 0.5 <1 Turkey 215 1.2 1 France 215 29.7 23 Italy 185 0.3 <1 Russian Fed 185 Ukraine 180 0.05 <1 Iran 147 1.2 <1 Argentina 127 23.0 14 Poland 100 0.9 1 Rep. Moldova 35 2.3 1 Sources: FAOSTATS/ITC COMTRADE
Dried Prune import trends 2001 2005 Globally import volumes of dried prunes grew slowly, by 1% over the period 2001 reaching 146,290MT in 2005 - with a 9% increase in value - to US$340million. See Table 2.
The Russian Federation imported the largest volumes, (16,751MT in 2005) but at the lowest value - US$533 per ton. Russian Imports in 2005 were mainly from Tajikistan (3,545MT), Chile (4,021)MT and Argentina (2,237MT). German import volumes fell 2% to (12,700MT) in 2005, but values increased by 5% to US$36.9million equivalent to US$2,902 per MT. Major suppliers to Germany are the USA (5,089MT in 2005) and Chile (4,703MT) in 2005.
Table 2: Global Imports of Dried Prunes 2005 (MT) Unit Value US$ Quantity PRUNES value thousand MT (US$/MT) World estimation 340,297 146,290 2,326 Russian Federation 8,924 16,751 533 Germany 36,853 12,700 2,902 Japan 37,433 10,904 3,433 Mexico 20,856 8,685 2,401 Brazil 18,311 8,568 2,137 USA 19,852 8,183 2,426 United Kingdom 23,275 7,374 3,156 Italy 20,012 6,529 3,065 Spain 12,435 5,673 2,192 Belgium 14,704 5,581 2,635 Netherlands 13,071 4,877 2,680 Poland 9,567 4,538 2,108 Canada 12,688 4,410 2,877
Source: ITC calculations based on COMTRADE statistics
In 2005, Japan had the highest unit value at US$3,433 per MT. Japanese imports in 2005 were mainly from USA, 9,058MT (compared to 17,512MT in 2004) and Chile 598MT. The USA reduction in home grown volumes in 2004 and 2005 led to a 100% growth in foreign imports by volume and 123% increase by value between 2001 and 2005, to 8,183MT and US$19.9million respectively (2005). US Imports (2005) were mainly from France (4,150MT), Chile (1,567) and Argentina (1,346).
Apple Production In 2005, the top five producing countries for fresh apples were China (20.5million MT), USA (4.8million MT), Turkey (2.5million MT), France (2.2million MT) and Italy (2.2million MT). See Table 3
The majority of apples used for processing are used in the juice industry. For example, in 2004 in the USA 19% (circa 920,000MT) of fresh apples were used for juice and cider production, and only an estimated 2% two percent of the fresh crop, around 97000MT, was used in the drying industry4.
Table 3: 2005 Production of Fresh Apples and Exports of Dried Apples by country leaders Country Production Exports % Share of Fresh Dried Global Apples Apples value of 000 MT 000 MT Dried Fruit Exports
In 2005 the top five exporting countries for dried apples were amongst the top 10 apple producing countries, including: Chile (5560MT), USA (3920MT), Italy (2120MT), Argentina (1170MT) and Germany (910MT). China the largest producer of fresh apples exported Sources: FAOSTATS/ITC COMTRADE relatively small volumes of dried apples 1120MT in 2005, 6% more than in 2004.
World China United States Turkey France Italy Russian Fed. Poland Germany Chile Argentina Romania Rep. Moldova
59,444 20,406 4,477 2,550 2,222 2,192 2,050 2,050 1,600 1,350 1,262 478 350
20.75 1.12 3.92 1.38 0.21 2.12 0.36 0.91 5.56 1.17 0.15
3 20 3 1 15 2 6 32 5 -
Dried Apple import trends 2001 2005 Global imports between 2001 and 2005 increased 7% in quantity to 25,792MT, and 13% in value to US$74.3million. See Table 4.
Germany is the largest importing country; volumes increased by 3% between 2001 2005 to 6,135MT, and by 12% in value to US$16.7million. Major suppliers in 2004 included China (2,255MT), Turkey (1,328MT), Italy 684MT, and Chile 959MT. Highest unit values were for imports into Switzerland (US$5,951 per MT), but volumes were low (488MT in 2005).
Table 4: Global imports of Dried Apples 2005 APPLES World estimation Germany USA United Kingdom Canada Australia Russian Federation France Mexico Poland Saudi Arabia Romania Switzerland Austria Value US$000 74,372 16,698 13,077 9,491 6,163 2,501 558 3,484 2,462 1,141 537 137 2,904 2,455 Quantity MT 25,792 6,135 4,451 2,820 1,694 1,102 1,054 700 648 590 585 524 488 433 Unit value (US$/MT) 2,884 2,722 2,938 3,366 3,638 2,270 529 4,977 3,799 1,934 918 261 5,951 5,670
Romania has the lowest unit value for imports (US$261per MT in 2005). Major suppliers to Source: ITC calculations based on COMTRADE statistics Romania are Moldova (500MT in 2004), with 8MT from Hungary and 13MT from China.
Apricot Production
Table 5: 2005 Production of Fresh Apricots and Exports of Dried Apricots by country leaders
Country Production Fresh Apricots 000 MT Exports Dried Apricots 000 MT % Share of Global value of Dried Fruit Exports
Turkey and Iran are the leading fresh apricot producer countries, producing 370,000MT and 285,000MT respectively in 2005. Globally Turkey is the major exporter of dried apricots, 80,700MT in 2005, (72% of world exports by value), followed by Tajikistan (11.400MT), and France (3,400MT). See Table 5. The US accounts for around 2% (74,000MT) of global fresh apricot production, of which nearly 75% is used in processing, mainly in canning, with 1,200MT of dried product exported. Romanian production of fresh apricots has declined rapidly, from 42,000MT in 2003 to 6,000MT in 2005, with no recorded exports of dried apricots.
World 2,821 107.0 Turkey 370 80.7 Iran 285 0.4 Italy 233 0.4 Pakistan 215 0.2 France 181 3.4 Spain 133 0.01 Syria 101 0.1 China 90 0.8 Greece 84 0.4 Russian Fed. 82 0.03 South Africa 82 0.9 USA 74 1.2 Tajikistan 30 11.4 Germany 7 1.7 Romania 6 0 Rep Moldova 6 0.02 Sources: FAOSTATS/ITC COMTRADE
Dried Apricot import trends 2001 2005 Globally, volumes of dried apricots imported between 2001 and 2005 fell by 1% to 106,652MT, but values increased by 16% to US$213million. See Table 6.
The Russian Federation was the largest importer of dried apricots, 30,4182MT in 2005, but values were low at US$544 per MT. Major suppliers to Russia were Tajikistan 11,048MT in 2005 and Turkey 17,159MT.
The US is a major importer, (14,632MT) followed by the UK (10,653MT), France (8,597MT), Germany (8,929MT). Turkey is a major supplier to these three countries. In 2005 Turkey exported 14,022MT to the USA, 8,587MT to the UK, 8,349MT to France, and 7,898MT to Germany. Romanian dried apricots imports in 2004 were worth US$138,000 (volumes not available). Major suppliers to Romania in 2004 were Turkey value US$107,000, and Netherlands US$24,000.
World estimation 212,853 106,652 1,996 Russian Federation 16,552 30,418 544 USA 36,403 14,632 2,488 United Kingdom 32,020 10,653 3,006 Germany 23,237 8,929 2,602 France 23,770 8,597 2,765 Ukraine 2,470 4,853 509 Australia 11,086 4,508 2,459 Poland 4,061 2,254 1,802 Canada 5,424 2,188 2,479 New Zealand 6,105 2,107 2,897 Switzerland 5,568 1,436 3,877 Italy 3,445 1,313 2,624 Source: ITC calculations based on COMTRADE statistics
Cherry Production Globally, Turkey is also the major producer of fresh cherries, followed by Iran, the USA and Germany. See Table 7.
Of the 260,000 MT of fresh cherries produced in Turkey in 2005 (sweet and sour cherries combined) approximately 15% of the total, (39,000MT), equal to 85% of the sour cherry production, were used in the processing industry for dried fruit, canned fruit, jams, juices etc. (Source USDA Gains Report). Production of fresh cherries in China is relatively low, 1% of global production in 2005, (17,000MT), but with steady growth in production from 12,000MT in 2001. In recent years, slightly more than half of US cherries produced are sweet cherries, two-thirds of which are sold fresh, and one third processed. 99 percent of sour cherries are processed, 71 percent are frozen, 22 percent canned and the remainder are used for juice, wine, brined and dried products (National Agricultural Statistics Service, USA).
Table 7: 2005 Production of Fresh Cherries and % share of Global Exports of Fresh Cherries Country Production % Share of Fresh Global value of Cherry Dried Fruit 000 MT Exports
World Turkey Iran USA Germany Russian Fed. Italy Spain Ukraine France Greece Syria Poland Lebanon Chile Romania China Rep. Moldova Source: FAOSTATS
100 14 12 11 7 6 6 5 5 4 3 2 2 2 2 2 1 0
Romanian Dried Fruit Production and Trade There is some production of dried fruits in Romania, but official data on volumes marketed is not available. According to survey respondents, local Romanian farmers supply retail chains and markets mainly with dried prunes.
Table 8 : Romanian Imports of Dried Prunes Source Statistic 2002 2003 2004 2005 Argentina Trade Value ($) $6,000 $59,913 Net Weight (kg) 20,000 20,000 Average $/Kg 0.3 3.0 France Trade Value ($) $12,000 $8,424 $5,820 $13,068 Net Weight (kg) 4,000 1,750 957 2,755 Average $/Kg 3.0 4.8 6.1 4.7 Hungary Trade Value ($) $21,701 Net Weight (kg) 9,110 Average $/Kg 2.4 Romanian Imports of Dried Fruits NetherAverage $/Kg $93,147 $37,415 $9,328 2005 UN Comtrade figures for imports into lands Net Weight (kg) 25,996 9,750 2,500
Romania of dried apricots, prunes, apples, other fruits and mixtures of nuts or dried fruits Rep. of total 1396MT, and a US Foreign Agricultural Moldova Service Report, estimated the total import volume of dried fruits into Romania in 2005 at Turkey 1,136 MT5 Romanian volumes of dried prunes imported rose from 36MT in 2002 to 121MT in 2005. USA During the same period average values fluctuated from US$0.83/Kg in 2002, to World
Source: UN Comtrade
5
3.6 $2,000
Net Weight (kg) 6,000 3,875 66,327 Average $/Kg 0.3 1.6 0.8 Trade Value ($) $3,000 $1,477 $2,694 $6,068 Net Weight (kg) 3,625 500 804 1,623 Average $/Kg 0.8 3.0 3.4 3.7 Trade Value ($) $2,000 $2,230 $4,303 $7,967 Net Weight (kg) 2,437 644 972 1,850 Average $/Kg 0.8 3.5 4.4 4.3 Trade Value ($) $30,000 $113,451 $60,727 $184,576 Net Weight (kg) 36,249 50,474 25,126 121,188 2.25 2.42 1.52 Average $/Kg 0.83
GAIN Report Number: RO6019 8Romania Retail Food Sector Update 2006 5
US$2.25/Kg in 2003, US$2.42/Kg in 2004 and US$1.52/ Kg in 2005. Major suppliers in 2005 were Moldova, 66MT, Argentina 20MT, and Hungary 9MT.
Dried Prunes Values per kg vary by year and by source, but in general, French imports (low volumes) had the highest values in the range US$3.0 to US$6.1/kg, Hungary US$2.4/Kg (2005), Turkey US$3.0US$3.77/Kg (2003 to 2005), compared to Moldova US$0.3 to US$1.6.kg (2002 to 2005). See Table 8. Dried Apples Romania Imports of dried apples totaled 783MT in 2005, of which 500MT were from Moldova (average value US$0.10/kg), 13MT were from China (average value US$2.0/kg), and 7.6MT were from Hungary (average value US$4.7/kg). See Table 9.
Source China
Hungary
Rep. of Moldova
Statistic Trade Value ($) Net Weight (kg) Average $/Kg Trade Value ($) Net Weight (kg) Average $/Kg Trade Value ($)
2002 2003 $3,000 $7,180 8,000 9,625 0.4 0.7 $2,000 11,687 0.2 $21,000 $31,500
Net Weight (kg) 200,000 300,000 600,062 500,000 Average $/Kg 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 World Trade Value ($) $41,000 $74,441 $121,911 $136,796 Net Weight (kg) 239,186 345,750 613,690 783,110 Average $/Kg 0.17 0.22 0.20 0.17 Source: UN Comtrade
Dried Apricots Volumes of apricots imported into Romania are generally very small, at around 90MT in 2002, rising to 105MT in 2005 (with a fall to 63MT in 2004). Total values increased five-fold, from 2002 to 2005 from US$40,000 to US$207,000. Average import values per kg reported in 2002 were very low (US$0.45/kg), but fluctuated from US$1.96 2.19 during 2003 2005. In 2005, the major suppliers were Turkey 91MT, Iran 4MT, Netherlands 3.3MT and France 2.5MT. See Table 10.
Table 10: Romanian Imports of Dried Apricots Source France Statistic Trade Value ($) Net Weight (kg) Average $/Kg Iran Trade Value ($) Net Weight (kg) Average $/Kg Netherlands Trade Value ($) Net Weight (kg) Average $/Kg Turkey Net Weight (kg) Average $/Kg World 76,000 0.4 $2,000 8,000 0.3 2002 2003 $835 214 3.9 $5,581 11,062 0.5 29,148 3.6 42,191 1.4 82,942 2.08 2004 $2,884 1,000 2.9 $2,550 3,000 0.9 8,062 3.0 50,605 2.1 2005 $7,535 2,500 3.0 $4,649 4,000 1.2 3,300 3.6 91,763 1.9
Trade Value ($) $40,000 $172,572 $137,731 $206,877 Net Weight (kg) 89,500 62,866 105,403 2.19 1.96 0.45
According to the companies interviewed during this survey, dried fruits are imported into Romania from the following sources: the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, China, Turkey, Taiwan, Malaysia and Moldova.
The Customs Office of the Republic of MT/US$'000 Moldova records volumes of dried fruits 80 exported to Romania in the period 2001 70 60 2003 showing a downward trend. The 50 lowest level was registered in 2003 at 40 around 1 ton. From 2003 to 2005 exports 30 from Moldova to Romania increased, eg 20 from 3.5MT in 2004 to 67.3MT - a nineteen10 fold increase. However, the total value 0 increase 2004-2005 was just over ten-fold, 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 ar from $5,000 to $57,000 resulting in a unit Imports MT Value US$'000 price (price per kg) decrease from $1.58/kg Source: the State Customs Department, Republic of Moldova to $0.9kg. See Graph 1.
Market access requirements and tariffs Under the Free Trade Agreements between Moldova and Romania, exports of fruits and vegetables, including dried fruits, from Moldova to Romania were subject to zero percent tariff. Since 1 January 2007 when Romania acceded to the EU, Moldovan products exported to Romania have been subject to standard EU tariffs.
Preferential trade tariffs have been set for some products, under an EU/Moldova trade agreement the Generalized System of Preferences Plus (GSP+), which is effective for the period 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2008. This sets a 0% General Tariff, on some products, including dried fruits (International customs codes: 0813.20 prunes, 0813.30 dried apples, 0813.50 dried fruits mixes, 0813.40 others e.g. cherries) provided that the share of Moldovan product on the EU market does not exceed 15% of all imported volumes6, and is a competitive advantage for Moldovan producers and exporters. Table 11 below presents an overview of EU conventional and GSP+ import tariffs for dried fruit products7.
Table 11: EU tariffs for products from conventional and GSP+ status countries HS code Product Conventional 0813 20 00 dried prunes 9.6% 0813 30 00 dried apples 3.2% 0813 40 70/95 other dried fruit 2.4% 0813 50 12/15/19/91/99 mixtures of dried fruit 4-9.6% Source: http://export-help.cec.eu.int GSP+ 0% 0% 0% 0%
Legislative requirements Exporters to EU countries, including Romania, have to meet many legislative requirements. These include, but are not limited to:
1. Food Safety Requirements eg HACCP 2. Packaging Requirements (Food Safety and Environmental Issues) 3. Environmental requirements in the country of production 4. Worker Health and Safety Requirements
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Source: List of goods benefiting from the EUs GSP PLUS System Import tariffs change frequently and depend on trade agreements between the EU and countries with GSP+ status, and the sensitivity of the product for EU producers. An up-to-date list of import tariffs can be downloaded at http://exporthelp.cec.eu.int. 7
Since 1 January 2006, Regulation (EC) 852/2004, EU importers are only allowed to buy from processed food manufacturers anywhere in the world - who are HACCP Food Safety systems in place. EU Food Safety Directives and Regulations exist setting limits for:
Levels of microbial contamination, or contamination with microbial toxins eg aflatoxins, Ochratoxin A Maximum levels of heavy metals in fruits (eg mercury, copper, cadmium etc) Maximum Residue levels (MRLs) of pesticides in foods
All packaging which comes into contact with food must comply with EU food safety legislation, referring mainly to the components used in the manufacture of the packaging.
Requirements and residue levels currently can vary in different EU countries, and should be discussed with importers/potential clients in export destination countries. (Where there are no individual country levels specified, standard EU levels are applied). For background information, an English language overview and analysis of requirements can be found in the CBIs Access Guide8, (http://www.cbi.nl/marketinfo/cbi/?action=showDetails&id=61 ).
Marketing standards There are no EU marketing standards for dried fruits. However, rules governing EU minimum standards for prunes (which form part of aid schemes intended for EU growers - not marketing standards) can be found in 20 languages at: http://europa.eu.int/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!CELEXnumdoc&numdoc =31999R0464&lg=en These standards should be of interest to dried fruit producers.
Globally there are marketing standards, and Moldovan exporters would be wise to familiarize themselves with these standards, and not to offer products inferior to these standards, to EU importers. 1. UN/ECE standards
The Economic Commission for Europe of the United Nations (UN/ECE) has established standards for the marketing and quality control of a range of dried fruit including dried apples, apricots, dates, figs, grapes, pears and prunes.
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This website is free of charge, and has much interesting information. Visitors however are required to register their contact details in order to obtain a login name and password.
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These standards are in line with the demands of EU countries and can be downloaded in English, French or Russian from: http://www.unece.org/trade/agr/standard/dry/dry_e.htm 2. USA standards
These standards are only offered in the English language, and they do not legally apply to European countries. However, they are worth consideration by Moldovan exporters as they set out the minimum standards applied by the USA as a major dried fruit manufacturer, consumer and exporter to markets of interest to Moldovans. USA standard for dried prunes: http://www.ams.usda.gov/standards/drdprune.pdf USA standard for dried apricots: http://www.ams.usda.gov/standards/driaprco.pdf USA standard for dried apples: http://www.agribusinessonline.com/regulations/grades/grades_us_dried/dhapples.pdf
3.
Commercial Standards
Exporters should also be aware that individual processing and retailing companies generally have their own specifications for the products they will buy. These commercial specifications are generally of a far higher standard than UN or Country standards, with lower levels of tolerances for defects. Other market requirements Worker social, health and safety issues in the country of production are increasingly important to EU buyers, as is protection of the environment. These issues are therefore important for potential exports to the EU. EU Retailer and national protocols exist eg EUREPGAP and the widely required British Retail Consortium (BRC) Ethical Guide.
Romanian regulations also require that local importers obtain prior approval from phytosanitary officials for dried fruits.
5. Pic SRL was opened in Pitesti, in 1991. It deals with production, acquizition, transportation and trade. At present, Pic distribution channels cover Pitesti, Bucuresti, Brasov, Craiova, Sibiu, Constanta and Cluj. The products distributed by PIC are available in Metro, Carrefour, Selgros, Billa, XXL, Mega Image etc. Annual turnover is 0.3 bln Romanian lei (RON), and the company is planning to expand in the future.
Wholesalers 1. METRO CASH&CARRY can be found in over twenty-seven countries, in Europe, Asia, North Africa, and CIS regions. It was the first international retailer to enter the Romanian market (in 1996). The initial plans were to create only 10 cash & carry shops, but at the end of 2005 the network expanded to 23 stores, 4 of which are located in Bucharest. Metro will merge with its subsidiary REAL in 2007, when they hope to have a combined Metro/REAL chain of 40 stores
2. SC Orlando Import Export 2001 SRL was set up in 1994. The company supplies well known retailers in Romania, including: Selgros, Carrefour, Cora, Kaufland, Univers'all, La Fourmi, Pic, etc. The company turnover on December 31, 2005 was 334200 Euro. 3. SC BATUL MICRO IMPEX SRL is one of the largest dried fruit importers in Romania importing a wide range of products, including dried apricots, raisins, dried pineapple, melon, cherries, prunes, peaches, mango, papaya and nuts. 4. SC 3SYS SOLUTIONS SRL. is a Business-to-Business (B2B) company which organises the supply of raw material, trade of final products and services. The company has over 500 business partners from different countries such as China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Turkey, Vietnam and others. 5. SC PARTENOPE FRUTTA S.R.L. is a modern and dynamic plant with modern technologies, offering dried fruits, including cherries, of high quality and distributing them all over the world (America, Europe, Asia, Australia and South Africa etc.).
Sources of supply
The companies interviewed, (including 3SYS Solutions Srl, Batul Micro Impex SRL, Partenope Frutta S.R.L., METRO Cash&Carry and Selgros Cash & Carry) all sell dried prunes, dried apples and dried cherries. According to these companies:
80% of dried prunes, apples and cherries sold are of local origin, with only 20% imported from abroad. Dried prunes, apples and cherries, and their mixes, account for 20% of the total market volume of dried fruits. Of this 20%, dried prunes have a market share of 70%, dried apples - 20% and dried cherries - 10%.
According to the survey respondents data, the breakdown of major import suppliers in JanuarySeptember 2006 was as follows: Moldova (45%), the Netherlands (30%), Hungary (10%), Poland (7%), Germany (6%) and /Belgium (2%) and some insignificant import volumes from Turkey (0.5%), Austria (0.5%), France and Argentina.
Seasonality
Seasonality of locally produced dried fruits (dried apples, dried prunes and dried cherries in particular), almost totally depends on the seasonality of the fresh fruits. In the fresh fruit season, June-October, buyers report low availability of locally/regionally produced dried fruits.
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During the period NovemberMay, local dried fruits are available in large volumes on the Romanian market, along with products of Moldovan origin. Imports from other countries are available all year round but in smaller quantities. See Table 12.
Table 12: The Seasonality of dried prunes, dried apples and dried cherries supply into Romania
Country/month J Romania Moldova Netherlands Hungary Poland Germany Belgium Austria Turkey
Source: Respondents data
Major clients and Markets Table 13:. Retail market structure, 2006 Retail format* 2006** Supermarkets 17% Wholesalers/C&C 6% Hypermarkets 6% Hard discounts 4% Boutiques 42% Kiosks 1% Street vendors 4% General stores 4% Other formats 16%
Source: GfK Romania;*FMCG categories;* *January-June 2006 monitored
Although Romanian modern retail trade lags behind neighboring western countries, it is developing rapidly as consumers spend more money in modern retail stores. Nonetheless traditional retail trade still represents around 70% of total trade. See Table 13. The modernised, supermarket and hypermarket retail sector is expected to reach US$37 billion turnover in 2006, of which more than half will be in the food sector. This sector is then expected to exceed 50% of total retail sales in 2010, compared to 33% in
2006. Wholesalers supply products mainly to supermarkets chains and other clients, such as medium and small food shops, hotels and restaurants all over the country. According to the survey, the majority of the supermarket respondents have a network of stores throughout the country and have their distributers/distribution networks based in Bucharest. Sales through the Internet started to develop recently. Currently there are around 600 virtual stores, and although only 10% of them sell food products, it is expected that in a few years the percentage will double. In Romania the market leaders for imported dried fruits are the cash & carry stores, such as METRO Cash & Carry, Selgros Cash & Carry . Other major customers for dried fruits in Romania are: The dried fruit and nut industry, which sells mixed retail packs consisting of dried tropical fruits and other dried fruits and nuts, or retail packs of one type of dried fruit. Breakfast cereal industry. The breakfast cereal industry uses nuts and dried fruits in its production of cereals, and muesli. The dried fruits used in cereals and muesli are mainly
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banana chips and raisins, but increasingly also papaya, guava and mango. There is also a breakfast cereal on the market with added dried raspberry. Other food industries utilize dried fruits, for example in confectionery (candy and cereal bars), and bakery products. Raisins, currants, apricots and apples are often used in cereal bars. The bakery industry uses dried apples, apricots, banana chips, currants, dates and others.
Channels of distribution Processors/packers of dried fruit carry out limited processing and conditioning of product, but are involved mainly in re-packing into smaller packs for the retail, catering and industrial sectors. The size and branding of these products depends on the marketing strategy of the processor/packer. Some of them have their own brand, whilst others pack according to their customers' specifications, e.g. for supermarkets. Larger packers/processors are increasingly buying directly from processors/exporters in the countries of origin.
The industrial market is probably the largest end user. Slow expansion in sales of imported dried fruit reflects the growth in demand of convenience foods and especially those products perceived to have "healthy" ingredients. The catering sector is a relatively unimportant buyer of dried fruit, with usage mainly confined to ingredients for food preparation. According to the survey, retail sector sales are dominated by the supermarket sector, believed to market over 85% of all dried fruit sold directly to consumers in Romania Supermarkets buy pre-packed branded consumer packs, or sometimes contract packers to pack consumer packs using the supermarkets own-label or brand. In the retail sector, "loose" dried/dehydrated fruit is hardly sold anymore, and is found only in health food shops, specialist dried fruit and nut shops, and in stalls at street markets.
(Commercial use)
Importers Large processing companies (Consumer use) Wholesalers of food products Wholesalers of confectionery products Processing companies
Consumers
Product
Apple dice
Specification
Moisture: 18-22 % Max S2: 2000PPM Max.
Picture
Dried Sour Cherry Moisture:1822% SO2:300ppm Max Sugar:65%+/5% Moisture 24% Max. So2:1700ppm Max.600ppm Max.
Apple rings
Apple rings
Prunes
30-40 mm 40-50 mm
Packaging
Presentation of a product, in particular the packaging, is important, making merchandise more or less saleable. When similar products, of similar quality and price are offered, packaging and presentation become very important. Attractive packaging sells merchandise and well-designed packaging can increase the turnover of a manufacturer.
According to the survey, Romanian products are still poorly packaged. The exporter must consider the following general rules regarding packaging:
Packaging material must be strong enough to protect the product during transportation; Packaging should ensure that no contamination, mould growth, etc. can take place; Excessive packaging must be avoided (this increases cost and is less environmentally friendly); The exporter must investigate thoroughly and use materials that are as environmentally friendly as possible; The exporter must try to reduce the use of PVC, Chlorine, Cadmium and CFCs (in the EU, the maximum permissible concentrations of lead, cadmium, mercury and chromium in packaging are 100ppm as of 30 June 2001); The use of staples, nails or other metal should be avoided; If using different types of packaging materials is unavoidable, these must be separable; Information must be given on the nature and quantity of packaging materials; Vacuum packaging and/or nitrogen flushing are sometimes requested for bulk export packaging. The effectiveness of the packaging in preserving good product quality depends on very clean packaging conditions, an absolute minimum of delay between processing and packaging, and complete air tightness of the package seals.
Retail and wholesale packaging: The most common bulk packaging for exported dry fruits is 10 kg and 12.5 kg carton boxes. Some respondents said that dried prunes are imported to Romania in paper bags of 20-25 kg, and cherries and apples in carton boxes of 3-5 kg.
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The most common retail packaging used includes cellophane packs, trays and plastic bags of 200g, 250g or 500g capacity. Packs may be transparent, allowing the product to be seen, or totally opaque, imprinted with colors.
Plastic boxes 200gr, 250gr Dried apples in 250gr, 500 gr plastic bags
Photographs from the Romanian web site www.orlandos.ro , (printed with the permission of Orlando).
Some retail chains prefer to sell products under their own Private Label. In Romania these include: Carrefour (Marca 1), METRO (two brands, Aro and METRO Quality), BILLA (CLEVER), Cora (Winny), Mega Image (365), KAUFLAND (K-Classic), PROFI and PLUS. Samples of Logo/Brands used on the Romanian dried fruit market include:
Labeling Major requirements for labeling of dried fruits and vegetables are as follows: Name of the product(s) and type Name and address (code) of the packer/exporter Content of the product (ingredients, including colorings and additives) Net weight or quantity of units packed Producer, Country of origin Date of manufacturing, best-before date and - where necessary storage conditions European bar code of the product (and batch number) Usage instructions
Price data Official customs statistics in Romania shows that average import values for dried prunes fluctuated widely over the last five years, depending on the country of supply. The least expensive dried prunes were from Poland in 2004 (0.09/kg) and the most expensive from Germany in 2001- 7.66/kg.
No doubt prices reflect quality, packaging, volumes shipped and branding characteristics of the actual imports. German dried prunes, for instance, have been in the range 0.77 to 7.66 /kg (See Table 14), the different prices reflecting different qualities, brands, packaging etc.
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Table 14: Import prices for dried prunes by country, registered at the Customs, 2001-2005
Year/ Source 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Quant, Value, Price Quant, Value, Price Quant, Value, Price Quant, Value, Price Quant, Value, Price t /kg t /kg t /kg t /kg t /kg 1,8 2587 1,44 0,4 0,4 0,4 3063 7,66 18,2 0,2 378 2024 0,95 5,06 0,2 1,9 891 6677 4,46 3,51 2,6 9812 3,77 0,5 5 1295 20130 2,59 4,02
9,1 2,3 8804 3,83 3,1 8017 2,59 21,9 68374 3,12 9,7 7 29891 642 3,08 0,09 49,2 13,5
Prices for dried apples imported by major supplying countries were generally more stable. From Germany, (2002-2005), prices were in the range 4.34-4.52/kg, and from Austria (4.19 4.32/kg)( See Table 15). Dutch imports fell in value from a high of 8.72/kg in 2001, to 1.30/kg in 2004, and 2.55/kg in 2005.
Table 15: Import prices for dried apples, registered at the Customs, 2001-2005
Year/ Source 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Quant, Value, Price Quant, Value, Price Quant, Value, Price Quant, Value, Price Quant, Value, Price t /kg t /kg t /kg t /kg t /kg 1,8 2587 1,44 0,4 0,4 0,4 3063 7,66 18,2 0,2 378 2024 0,95 5,06 0,2 1,9 891 6677 4,46 3,51 2,6 9812 3,77 0,5 5 1295 2,59
20130 4,02
9,1 2,3 8804 3,83 3,1 8017 2,59 21,9 68374 3,12 9,7 7 29891 3,08 642 0,09 49,2 13,5
15494
1,7
Dried apricots import prices from Poland and Netherlands increased resectively by 57% and 8% in 2005, compared to 2004 (See Table 16). Dried apricots import prices from Germany decreased by 9% in the same period.
Table 16: Import prices for dried apricot, registered at the Customs, 2001-2005
Year/ Source 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Quant, Value, Price Quant, Value, Price Quant, Value, Price Quant, Value, Price Quant, Value, Price t /kg t /kg t /kg t /kg t /kg AUSTRIA GERMANY HUNGARY NETHER LANDS POLAND 0,6 0,3 450 2556 0,8 8,5 0,3 0,5 388 1421 1,3 2,8 0,7 2025 2,9 2,3 8490 3,7 1,8 0,1 6050 234 3,4 2,3
0,3
11283 37,6
3,8
7625
2,0
26,6
85330
3,2
9,1 0,2
21589 635
2,4 3,2
5,8 0,2
14840 999
2,6 5,0
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The survey of key players in the Romanian market revealed that prices for dried fruits (dried prunes, dried apples and dried cherries) fluctuate seasonally, with prices lowest during the period November-December. Selling prices offered by Moldovan exporters/suppliers to Romanian supermarkets and wholesalers in 2005 and 2006 ranged from a minimum of 0.7/kg to a maximum 1.5 /kg. Local Romanian producers offered retail chains dried fruits at selling prices from 0.3 /kg to 1.8/kg. See Table 17.
Table 17: Selling prices for dried fruits offered by Romanian producers, /kg 2005-2006 Dried prunes Dried apples Dried cherries Min max 0.3 1.5 0.5 1.7 0.8 1.8
Selling prices for dried prunes offered by exporters from other countries to Romanian supermarkets and wholesalers, during 2005 and 2006, were generally lower than official average import prices, but higher than Moldovan prices. See Table 18.
Table 18: Selling prices for dried prunes offered by different exporters to Romania, 2005- September 2006, /kg
Selling prices for dried apples offered by exporters from other countries to Romanian supermarkets and wholesalers, during 2005 and 2006, ranged from a minimum of 2.0 /kg to a maximum 4.5 /kg. See Table 19.
Table 19: Selling Prices for dried apples offered by different exporters to Romania, 2005- September 2006, /kg
Netherlands 2.30
Hungary
Germany
Belgium Austria
Turcia
2.50 4.30
3.50 4.50
2.00 3.20
2.50 4.50
2.50 3.50
The survey of major buyers revealed that the highest prices for all types of dried fruit are paid in the period July October. The season is not the only factor determining the prices. They are also influenced by the variety and size of the product, and the market situation/prices during the period of importation. Interviewed supermarkets declared during the survey, that they buy only dried prunes from Moldova.
Major competitors The survey revealed that the major competitors for Moldovan exporters of dried fruits are suppliers from The Netherlands, Hungary, Poland and Germany. Turkish and Austrian suppliers as well as French and Argentinian exporters should also be taken into consideration as competitors for the Romanian market - their products are well presented, look attractive and are nicely packed, with clear branding/logo identity.
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Trends
During the past decade there has been a trend for increased organic dried fruit production and consumption, which is also taking place in Romania. The export of dried organic fruit offers exporters a higher possibility to penetrate new and existing markets. In order to be labeled as organic fruit, fruit must be grown, dried and handled in accordance with the rules and standards of an organic accreditation scheme, acceptable to the buyer, and be audited and certified by that accreditation scheme.
NOTE: Contact information on buyers for this market may be obtained from Agribusiness Development Project (ADP): str. Bulgara 33/1, Chisinau, Republica Moldova 2001; Tel: (373 22) 577-930, Fax: (373 22) 577-931; Email: info@moldova.cnfa.org Website: www.cnfa.md
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Annex 1 . List of reference materials 1. State Customs Department, Moldova 2. www.kompass.md international business catalog 3. www.ghidafaceri.ro Romanian business catalog 4. www.ghidul.ro Romanian business catalog 5. http://www.cotidianul.ro/index.php?id=45&art=9815&cHash=9c350c19e6 information on the biggest hypermarkets in Romania 6. http://exporthelp.cec.eu.int 7. Market Study for Moldavian Dried Prunes on the German Market, CNFA, 2005 8. USDA FAS Gains Report Turkey Stone Fruit Annual Report 2005 9. Eurostat Comext 10. http://www.hotnews.ro/articol_34150-Marile-lanturi-de-magazine-o-duc-foarte-bine-inRomania.htm 11. GAIN Report Number: RO6019 8Romania Retail Food Sector Update 2006 12. The EUs on-line customs database, import duties http://europa.eu.int/comm/taxation_customs/dds/en/tarhome.htm. 13. CBIs AccessGuide - complete overview and analysis of requirements that are applicable when exporting to the EU member states http://www.cbi.nl/accessguide. 14. General Food Law - http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/food/index_en.html 15. EU standards for organic food production and labeling http://www.imo.ch/imo_services_organic_eu_standard_en,1205,998.htmlAgriculturaL 16. Marketing Resource Center: Commodity Profiles 17. ITC PACKit Export Product Profile : Dried Fruit and Vegetables
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Cora Supermarket
info@cora.ro www.cora.ro
office@kaufland.ro www.kaufland.ro
31-33 Carol Avenue, Tel: 0040212507154 contact@universall.ro Wing IV, Bucharest - Fax: 0040212507154 www.universall.ro 2
Pic SRL
Cornel Penescu
Bogdan Fruit and Streecescu vegetable sales department director Acquisition manager
Sos. Colentina, Tel: 0040248208200 Bucuresti, Sector 2 Fax: 0040248208202 Fax: 0248/208.202 013685 Bucuresti, Tel:0040212003195 secrdir.baneasa@METR Sos. BucurestiFax: 0040212003106 O.ro Ploiesti 44D www.metro.ro
SC Orlanda Import Export 2001 SRL 3SYS Solutions SRL Batul Micro Impex SRL
Stroe Raluca
Assistent manager
Str. Lt. Sava Tel: 0040238566000 Rosescu, Nr. 91, jud. Fax: 0040238564700 Buzau, Ramnicu Sarat Sos. de Centura Tel: 0040213514557, nr.5, Ilfov. Com. 0040213514558, Clinceni 0040213514560 Fax:0040268307210 Baia Mare, Romania Tel: 0040362806318 Fax:0040362814048 Voluntari, Sos. Afumati Tel: 0040214916176 Fax: 0040214916176
www.cherriesking.ro office@cherriesking.ro
www.3sys.ro office@3sys.ro
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