FruiTrop issue 167

Sales of litchis on the European markets seem to be marking time. The Indian Ocean export season is still the high point of the distribution of this fruit in Europe, with supplies being smaller and purchases less enthusiastic during the rest of the year. Is this a passing phenomenon or a deep-seated change? It is still difficult to judge this recent trend but a few signs highlight the cracks forming in evolution that was hitherto more dynamic.
Without having disappeared completely, a few marginal and occasional sources of litchi did not show much sign of life in 2008. The small Australian season that follows exports from the Indian Ocean was nonexistent. Quality problems and shortage of fruits were mentioned to account for this. The sporadic shipments from Mexico in June also stopped whereas sulphur-treated fruits were shipped for the first time to address the recurrent keeping problems experienced in recent years. And the sale of litchis from China through traditional channels seems to have dwindled to almost nothing—to the benefit of more informal channels closely focused on the ethnic market. Although Israel covered summer supplies with a season equivalent to that of 2007, Thai shipments seemed to have decreased slightly in volume and market presence in spite of greater segmentation of the range.
Might this be a slump for litchi after several seasons of growth and a concentration of sales in the final months of the year? Because the quantities of litchis handled during the Christmas period increased yet again.Sales of litchis on the European markets seem to be marking time. The Indian Ocean export season is still the high point of the distribution of this fruit in Europe, with supplies being smaller and purchases less enthusiastic during the rest of the year. Is this a passing phenomenon or a deep-seated change? It is still difficult to judge this recent trend but a few signs highlight the cracks forming in evolution that was hitherto more dynamic. Without having disappeared completely, a few marginal and occasional sources of litchi did not show much sign of life in 2008. The small Australian season that follows exports from the Indian Ocean was nonexistent. Quality problems and shortage of fruits were mentioned to account for this. The sporadic shipments from Mexico in June also stopped whereas sulphur-treated fruits were shipped for the first time to address the recurrent keeping problems experienced in recent years. And the sale of litchis from China through traditional channels seems to have dwindled to almost nothing—to the benefit of more informal channels closely focused on the ethnic market. Although Israel covered summer supplies with a season equivalent to that of 2007, Thai shipments seemed to have decreased slightly in volume and market presence in spite of greater segmentation of the range. Might this be a slump for litchi after several seasons of growth and a concentration of sales in the final months of the year? Because the quantities of litchis handled during the Christmas period increased yet again.
Contents of the issue
p. 7 Litchi from Madagascar: the Madagascan paradox
p. 10 Indian Ocean litchi season: earliness which did not come up to expectations
p. 13 2008-2009 litchi season: the other sources
p. 16 Producer country sheet: litchi in Réunion
p. 18 Statistic panorama: world, EU, USA, Japan
p. 20 Cultivation of litchi
p. 20 The main varieties of litchi
p. 22 Litchi quality defects
p. 24 Pests and diseases
p. 24 Post-harvest and sulphur treatment

Full contents of the issue
FruiTrop is a monthly journal containing news about trade flows of fresh and processed tropical fruits, fresh citrus, and counter-season fruits. Aimed at a readership of economic and political decision makers in these sectors, it is published in French and English. FruiTrop is distributed in more than 40 countries.