2,500 tons - that was the daily supply of pineapple raw material in Thailand in mid-March. By the end of April, it had climbed to 4,800 tons per day, before falling back to 3,800 tons at the beginning of May. There is now talk of a daily supply of less than 3,000 tons (as at 19 May 2025). During this period, fruit prices fell rapidly and briefly reached between 11.20 and 11.80 Thai baht in April, for example. For comparison: In February, a kilogram of raw fruit cost between 16 and 17 Thai baht. Now, in mid-May, prices are between 12.50 and 13.00 Thai baht per kilogram. At the same time, some factories are cutting back their production days and reducing the quantity on offer. This is because small, nitrate-rich fruits are still a challenge in terms of quality on the market.
The price of processed products changed (or fell) less. The main reason for this is the high demand from the USA. This is because Donald Trump suspended tariffs on Thai imports to the US for 90 days on April 9.
Thai packers expect the supply volume to increase again at the beginning of June and are talking about prices of around 12 Thai baht per kilogram of raw goods. The Thai Food Processors Association (TFPA), on the other hand, is expecting an average daily harvest volume of 3,200 tons in June - which would not be very much.
However, the pineapple market is not only tight in Thailand, but also worldwide - for example in Kenya. Due to unusually heavy rainfall at the beginning of 2025, the fruit was harvested earlier than usual. At that time, the raw material exceeded the factories' production capacities. Now, a few months later, there is a shortage of precisely this raw material. Due to the upcoming "low season" from June to August, the situation will not ease again until September 2025 at the earliest.
We are of course in close contact with our partners and will continue to keep you informed about developments relating to pineapples.

The new tomato season has now officially begun in Italy, Spain, Portugal and Turkey with the planting of the tender tomato plants in the fields. There have been delays in some areas. The challenge is that if the seedlings grow too big, they can no longer be planted in the fields because their size makes them too unstable and they can no longer develop a sufficiently strong root system in the soil. The specific situation in the various growing regions is as follows:
Due to the unstable weather, relatively low temperatures and a lot of rain, the tomato plants in northern Italy could only be planted after a delay. However, our local partner is optimistic that these delays can be made up for in the next few days. The outlook for water is equally positive - at least in northern Italy, it does not appear to be a limiting factor this year either. The situation is different in southern Italy, where reserves are already alarmingly low. Due to the lack of water, the areas under cultivation there have already been reduced (we reported in the Food News 3/2025). The planting of the tomato plants, on the other hand, is going wonderfully according to plan.
Our partner in Spain and Portugal reported the longest delays. At the time of our interview on May 15, these figures were known in the Spanish region of Extremadura, for example: In the Vega Alta area, around 60 to 70 percent of the planned plants had been planted, in Vega Baja just 15 to 20 percent. For both areas in this region, the planting rates are normally already around 80 to 90 percent at this point. We received similar figures from Portugal: Here, a maximum of one third of the planned plants are in the ground so far. According to the regular schedule, the planting rate here should also be around 80 percent. "It will not be possible for the growers to completely make up for these delays," says our contact. It is likely that some of the plants will not be able to be planted. More concrete information and figures will be available at the end of the month.
Finally, a look at Turkey: here too, planting is two weeks behind schedule due to the weather and will continue until the beginning of June. In addition, some growers have decided to plant tomatoes relatively late, as the profit prospects were initially discussed as uncertain. According to our partner's initial estimates, the harvest volume could therefore be around 10 percent lower than usual.
What does this mean for the 2025 tomato season? One thing is clear: the harvest will start later than usual in many places - and will depend on all the climatic challenges that are possible in September and October. With our Food News We will, of course, keep you up to date at all times.

For an update on peppers and chilli peppers, we look to Turkey: the areas under cultivation there are comparable to those in 2024 - although those for Lombardi peppers and jalapenos are slightly smaller this year. As with tomatoes in Italy, Spain and Portugal, the comparatively low temperatures posed a challenge for growers in spring. They were around five degrees below average. The seedlings could therefore only be planted in the fields after a delay. However, all the seedlings are now in the ground and experts are expecting an average harvest. No further delays are currently expected.
What does this mean for prices this season? Raw material prices appear to be back at the previous year's level - although there is talk of increases of up to 30% in some places. What is already clear, however, is that labor costs have risen sharply. Compared to 2022, they have risen more than sevenfold. As peppers and hot peppers are harvested by hand, these additional labor costs will have a direct impact on the price of the end products.
Added to this are increased costs for packaging materials and the continuing high inflation in the country. According to Tagesspiegel, the inflation rate was at its lowest level since 2021 at the beginning of May - but it is still disproportionately high. Even the devaluation of the Turkish lira cannot cushion this completely, as many products are paid for in euros (e.g. vinegar) and US dollars (e.g. tin cans).
We cannot report much about specific prices at the moment. However, our partners expect to know more details by the end of May.

The production of maple syrup requires generations of work: It takes 40 years from planting to the first harvest of the maple trees. The total lifespan is actually around 200 years. Every year in spring, when the temperatures get warmer and the days longer, the starch molecules in the trees, which can grow up to 40 meters high, turn into sugar. The harvest therefore takes place between March and April. A hole 2 to 3 cm deep is drilled into each trunk and the tree is tapped above it. In this way, each tree provides around 100 liters of maple sap per season, which is boiled down within 24 hours in so-called "sugarhouses". This reduces 40 liters of tree sap to 1 liter of maple syrup, producing the distinctive color of maple syrup. Incidentally, there are visual and taste differences depending on the time of harvest (more on this here in our Glossary article about maple syrup).
80 percent of the world's maple syrup comes from Canada. The 2024 harvest there was a record year for the industry with 239 million pounds (approx. 108.41 million kg) of maple syrup. Final figures and data for the 2025 season are not yet available, as the association "Québec Maple Syrup Producers" (QMSP for short - or "Maple syrup from Canada") announced. Exact figures will be available at the end of June. However, our local partner has already reported a trend to us: "The first signs point to an average harvest. The historical average is 3.5 pounds (i.e. approx. 1.6 kg) per tap. If the trend is confirmed, we can expect around 3.7 to 3.9 pounds (i.e. up to 1.8 kg) per tap this year."
With our "Maple Moon" brand, we have established ourselves as a reliable partner for maple syrup in recent years - both in the organic and conventional sectors. Our 250 ml bottles and 1,000 ml PET packaging are very popular on the market. Paul M. Müller therefore also stands for quality and continuity in this product segment. If you are interested in this product group Eduard Kekel is the right contact for you.

Hard shell - soft core. This is the case with agate snails (known as Achatina fulica). Their shell is described as "pointed conical", whereas that of the vineyard snail is "round spherical". Due to their tender meat, they are a delicacy and are eaten as an appetizer or soup in France, for example. For some years now, they have been an integral part of our Adria delicatessen range. For an insight into production, we invite you on a mental journey to Indonesia: There, the snails are collected by farmers in the jungle or on organic plantations one month after the start of the rainy season (which usually lasts from the end of November to the beginning of June). They are therefore 100 percent wild-caught. After blanching the snails, workers remove the guts. The subsequent steps are also carried out by hand - namely cleaning, sorting and filling into cans. After adding the infusion, the cans are finally sealed, sterilized and prepared for export. By the time the delicacy reaches us, it has already come a long way.

By the way, did you know that the VAT rate for agate snails is 19% instead of the usual 7%? This is because, although basic ingredients as well as processed products (which are purchased without a qualified service such as in a restaurant or snack bar) are taxed at the reduced rate of 7 percent, snails are an exception. Just like caviar, processed crayfish, lobster and oysters, they are subject to 19% VAT. Exciting, isn't it?

Would you like to find out more or try out the agate snails? Please feel free to contact us.

A beautiful sight: The apricot blossom with its white to light pink buds. Not so pleasant when the delicate blossoms are confronted with snow and frost. Unfortunately, this was the case in many growing regions this spring:
It snowed in Turkey in April and temperatures dropped as low as minus 15 degrees in some areas - the lowest temperatures in the last 30 years in some places. As a result, Turkey's leaves, buds and fruit of agricultural products suffered greatly. The extent of the damage to the apricots will only become clear at harvest time. However, our local expert told us a few days ago: "Optimists expect losses of 20 to 30 percent, others are talking about 40 to 50 percent." Prices will therefore rise - also because the same fruit is used for the fresh market and for industrial use.
Similar information from Italy and Greece: It is too early for exact figures. However, the trends are clear here too.
The news from northern China are also negative. A cold spell in mid-April was followed by severe storms. Particularly hard hit: The two major regions of Shanxi and Hebei. "Fruiting was disrupted as a result. We are currently assuming a crop decline by 30 to 40 percent," says our partner.
No matter where we look at the moment: The apricot market is tight. Waiting for the harvest is difficult with these prospects. We will of course continue to report for you in our Food News.