EastFruit has researched the start of the Georgian strawberry season. Competition with Turkey has become fiercer. Locally produced quality strawberries are still in demand.
The Georgian team at EastFruit reports high volumes of strawberries presented on the wholesale market at this early stage of the new season. Turkish produce is offered in vast amounts, while the supply from the local farmers is also unusually large for this period.
Based on the volumes of imports in the off-season, we spoke about the strong off-season demand for strawberries in Georgia. With the start of the season, the imports from neighboring Turkey, which is practically the only exporter to Georgia, have grown even more.
Strawberry imports in April in Georgia, tons
Data source: Ministry of Finance of Georgia
April’s imports, part of which are now sold on the wholesale markets, were record-high with 1100 tons of strawberries imported.
Based on today’s (May 4, 2023) market research, wholesale prices for Turkish strawberries range between GEL4-5/kg ($1.60-2.00). This is generally lower a pricer than the local produce of the same caliber and visual. Generally, Turkish strawberries looked good visually.
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The prices that Georgian farmers get vary much more than the Turkish prices. They start at GEL4.00/kg ($1.60) and go up to GEL8.00/kg ($3.20). Such a wide range is explained by differences in caliber and visual properties. Open-field harvest is usually of a small caliber and price is at the lower end of the range. Supply from the high tunnels usually looks better and has higher caliber, so prices for these producers are at the higher end of the range.
Driven by the competition with imports, at the start of the new strawberry season, the average wholesale price is at the lowest point in EastFruit’s history for the current week. On average, strawberries are sold for GEL4.50/kg ($1.80), down from GEL6.00/kg ($1.95) in the same week last year. There will be more negative pressure on prices in the coming weeks as more local strawberries enter the market. The peak period usually starts at the end of May.
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