Currently, it takes at least twice as long as usual to complete a container load of anchovies - more than a week instead of three days. The main reason for this is the small to very small size of the fish, which even industry experts cannot explain. As a result, more workers are needed in the factories to process the same amount of catch. At the same time, the generation of employees is proving difficult. That's why everyone involved has been hoping for greater freshness since January. However, insiders are skeptical that this wish will be fulfilled in April.

The February 2023 crop was worse than expected, causing raw prices to rise to 8.00-8.30 Thai Baht/kg. However, despite international trade shows such as Prodexpo and Gulfood, sales in the country of origin are well below packers' expectations. Demand for canned pineapple, especially in the US and Middle East, are very low. The EU and Russia are also not drawing their usual volumes, so packers are scaling down production capacity. In addition, Thailand is expected to see further increases in raw material prices due to declining raw material volumes in the coming months. So it remains exciting how prices will develop due to these facts in terms of supply and demand.

By the way, have you seen our a href="https://paulmmueller.com/news/pmm-college-teil-9-ananas-know-how/" target="_self">exclusive commodity guide on pineapple? It is part of the PMM College series and contains exciting know-how.

Negotiations for the raw material price of tuna are currently in full swing. Exact figures are only valid for the moment. Even experts we have spoken to do not dare to make forecasts for the next few months. But one thing is certain: the trend will continue to be (moderately) upward over the next two to three months - regardless of whether it's the Pacific, Atlantic or Mediterranean.

Record skipjack prices above USD 2,000 per ton are expected soon for the Bangkok free trade area. A look at the graph with the price development shows it clearly: We are dealing with a new high of the last years. Analogously, the prices for yellowfin tuna, which we use for example for our ADRIA Premium brand solid pack, are rising

In addition to the FAD bans on tuna fishing in the Atlantic from January to March and in the Western Pacific from July to September, other factors are also causing a reduced supply and price increases. These are, on the one hand, the dwindling fish stocks and, on the other hand, phased work strikes on the fishing boats, which bring them to a standstill. At the same time, the reduced supply of raw material is being met with increased demand for processed tuna products.

There is currently no perfect time to buy tuna. Our tuna expert Eve-Florence Gölz will always help you with questions or order requests.

From the last market report described "Tomato Poker the first raw material prices for the 2023 harvest are now known. Compared to the previous year, price increases of 28 percent (in the USA) to 50 percent (in Spain) are expected for raw materials, depending on the country of cultivation. Insiders told us that price negotiations are still ongoing in Italy, but raw material prices are likely to converge with those in Spain and Portugal. In southern Italy, they estimate that prices are likely to be as much as 10 to 20 euros per ton higher than in the north of the country. In addition, there are the freight costs from Puglia to Naples/Salerno. Due to the long distance, these are more than twice as high as in northern Italy.

After drought and water shortages have made 2022 a difficult and turbulent year for tomatoes, other more heat-resistant crops are increasingly playing a role for farmers (especially in southern Europe, but also worldwide). One of our interlocutors from Italy is already reporting a lack of water in the country as well as in Italy's largest river - the Po - at the beginning of the year. Even though the tomato harvest is still several months away, the mood among growers is tense due to the lack of water and the current price negotiations.

But what does this mean for our market in Germany? Due to the high prices for the raw material as well as the persistently high energy prices, manufacturers will continue to try to produce low-concentration products such as pulp and pizza sauce. After all, 1 kg of tomato paste requires 6 kg of fresh tomatoes as well as a lot of energy during processing. It is therefore hardly surprising that, according to our two interlocutors, tomato paste in all container sizes is already almost sold out in Italy. Things look better with pizza tomatoes as well as strained tomatoes in bottles for the retail trade. Paul M. Müller's warehouses are still well stocked for you. More background information on the current tomato situation was provided in the Tuesday Talk on February 28.

As far as packaging is concerned, there is no detailed information available at the present time. However, experts assume that the prices for can sheet will remain constant - barring unforeseen events. Prices for glass have also eased considerably at present. However, there may also be changes here until the hot harvesting phase from July to September.

By the way: You will find a lot of tomato know-how (also about different tomato products) in our new tomato college.

Sweet, subtly caramel-like, thick and golden to amber in color - maple syrup is all of these things. In breakfast and hotel catering, it is a popular accompaniment to pancakes or a vegan alternative to honey in the kitchen as well as at the buffet. 80 percent of the world's maple syrup comes from Canada - no wonder that a maple leaf is the country's national symbol and even adorns the Canadian flag.

By the way, the harvest season of the natural product is quite current. Within four weeks between March and April, the initially rather colorless maple water is harvested and processed into syrup within 24 hours. How this works and with which other maple products you can sweeten the dishes for your guests, you can read in our new glossary article about maple syrup. Just this much in advance: Maple syrup can also be crunchy or creamy.

Or you can ask our Paul M. Müller expert for maple products: Eduard Kekel.

Here you will find a recipe inspiration from us: Fruit salad with coconut-maple crunch.

"Since mid-December, in China hardly produced anymore," China insiders tell PMM, "the factories for processing mandarins are at a standstill." There is an extreme lack of employees. The reason is the giant corona wave that has been rolling over the country since all rules were lifted. Only one factory is still running until the end of January, but the quality of the raw material is no longer as good. In addition, Chinese New Year is just around the corner (on January 22). Until the end of the festivities on February 3, there is traditionally hardly anything going on at the processors and in the ports. It remains highly questionable how things will continue in view of the explosive Corona situation in this giant country. Demand is already picking up again, we are told. Our interlocutors are worried about where the goods will come from if China cannot deliver. There are no longer any quantities available in Southern Europe, in the Turkey neither, and the new crop in Peru is just around the corner. However, most of the goods from there are shipped mainly to the US market.

Water shortage affected in Spain strongly the growth of artichokes in the open air. Now comes the cold, which makes the artichokes turn black at the top. Accordingly, so far the harvest has been meager in the season that began in early January. Most artichokes currently go to the fresh market, where higher prices are paid for the scarce raw material. Correspondingly, little product is being processed by the industry. Farmers and processors are now hoping for an improvement in the weather and additional rain. There should also be no more night frosts now, as the season normally runs until March. In any case, the rising costs in the energy sector and for canning material should ensure higher prices.

Does North Africa offer an alternative?

In Tunisia it was also too dry during the growing season of artichokes, although there are some farmers who manage their irrigation through wells and rivers. However, these volumes will hardly be sufficient to meet market demand. Canned prices and energy costs are also price drivers there. According to our information, the situation in Egypt similar. What is clear is that The popular Mediterranean products artichokes and olives remain expensive. The olive market is also characterized by high prices. There is too little raw material and production costs are too high. From Greece about - insparticular from the Peloponnese with the main variety Kalamata - a significantly lower yield was reported for this season. The scarce availability of table olives also means that the yield of olive oil is already falling massively, in Spain alone in December by almost 50 %. The market is already announcing significant price increases for this basic ingredient in the kitchen.

However, Paul M. Müller is sufficiently stocked, whoever needs goods can be supplied from our side with Olives and Artichokes in the best ADRIA quality.

The poker game between farmers and industry for the 2023 summer harvest has begun. "Farmers in Italy as well as in Spain and Portugal have high expectations of the raw material prices," we currently learn from market observers. How this will turn out is not yet foreseeable, but one can already expect that the commodity and thus the end product will be more expensive compared to last year. 

Farmers have great price expectations for 2023 as they mentally play with other crops. The run on tomato products remains strong, with a recovery mood in the market after the procurement stress of the past two seasons. There are some leftover stocks (pulp, passata) in the market. But here, too, China is proving to be a highly uncertain supplier. Tomato paste, for example, remains a scarce commodity on the world market, with hardly any supplies coming from the Far East. This is partly due to the same circumstances as described for mandarin oranges (above).

Capers are also a favorite. Why? Because this Mediterranean specialty is simply delicious and very versatile. That's why at Paul M. Müller we maintain a large ADRIA fine food range of capers in jars: we offer them in the following sizes: 720 ml- (caliber: hors caliberes, fines, capotes, surfines and nonpareilles as well as caper berries), 1000 ml (caliber fines) and 2650 ml (caper fruits).

To ensure that professional kitchens can continue to be supplied with these great ADRIA products in the future, our experts keep an eye on the supply situation on the market. Current trend: The harvest focus is shifting from Morocco and Kyrgyzstan to Syria. In terms of quantity, the harvest share of smaller caper buds is currently growing, which should provide a little price relief for this size of caper. The proportion of larger caper fruits (or berries) is smaller.

PMM definitely has everything in stock, just ask our experts! Particularly noteworthy are the practical ADRIA twist-off lids, the internally printed glass labels and the attractive and sturdy cartons to adequately protect the contents from breakage.

And if you want to know even more about the origin, fruits and caliber of capers, you can find everything you need to know in our glossary. Recipes for two delicious caper dishes are available at we-love-adria.com.

The price development of tuna remains very volatile (see graph). The skipjack (SKJ) quotation in Bangkok (BKK) is currently trending towards a level of US$1550 to US$1600/t after a high of US$1800. Weak catches continue to be reported from the Atlantic and Pacific fishing areas. In the Indian Ocean, on the other hand, there is a good yield - from both Skipjack and Yellowfin - and these are currently supporting the moderate downward trend in BKK. However, market insiders doubt that the weaker price will hold.

The reason for this is the gloomy outlook for the main fishing area of the Western Pacific. After the end of the three-month fishing ban (FAD ban), no signals promising better catches can be seen there. Insiders therefore warn that the situation can quickly turn around again. The demand for raw product is currently limited, as producers in Thailand are counting on lower prices for frozen goods after the end of the FAD ban. It is uncertain whether these speculations will prove to be true.

In any case, the fact is that slightly declining freight rates are helping to ease the situation somewhat in the face of continuing high material and processing costs. We are using all our know-how to procure new goods under the given circumstances. Conclusion overall: Planning for the 1st quarter is now advisable especially as the US currency currently offers some tailwind. Ask our professionals at PMM.

Addition: In the West Atlantic fishing area, a FAD ban applies from January to March 2023, which can support an upward trend reversal very quickly.

"I think it's pretty cool how much effort PMM puts into tuna and how high the requirements are at the origin for ADRIA quality. Thanks to the excellent contacts, some of which have been around for decades, I'm getting very well acquainted with the new material and it's also a lot of fun 😊. Especially because I still have Martina at my side until next year. I am literally soaking up her great experience."