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Roots & tubers quarter review: Q4 2023

Published on 1/02/2024 - Published by GERBAUD Pierre
Free

The ethnic products market remained fairly stable throughout Q4 2023. However there were some variations between the products’ trajectories. Hence ginger and peppers saw upward price phases at the end of the year, while plantain bananas and sweet potatoes conversely saw their rates decline.

Informations

Product(s) : dasheen , Eddoe , Ginger , Yam , Cassava , Sweet Potato
Rubrique / Thématique : Review and Forecasts
Country : Brazil , China , Costa rica , Egypt , Spain , France , Ghana , Honduras , Martinique , Peru , Saint Vincent
Keywords : Export , Import , Price , Production

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Sweet potato

White-fleshed sweet potatoes were supplied mainly by Egypt during Q4 2023. Brazil was also present, though to a lesser degree, with more expensive and more stable produce. Rates for Egyptian sweet potatoes gradually declined, recovering only partially at the end of the year during the festive period.

It was also Egypt that provided the bulk of the orange-fleshed sweet potato supply during the period in question. Backed up by Honduras in October and by Spain, Egyptian produce sold on a downward footing, particularly in December. In this period, big price variations were registered between different sized tubers. A big proportion of Egyptian shipments comprised the small sizes less sought after by purchases. This produce sold from €0.60/kg, dragging average sale prices downward. Available produce from other origins traded on a higher price footing, in a context of middling demand.

Yam

The white yams market was supplied mainly by Ghana in Q4 2023, at prices varying from €1.50 to €2.00/kg depending on the quality, but also the availability. In November, rates reached their high point, with the smaller shipments. The increased shipments at the end of the year, and more fragile quality, drove sale prices downward. Late October/early November saw the start of the French produce’s trading campaign, nearly a month ahead of last year. With more limited availability because of the weather conditions during the vegetative cycle, this produce enjoyed good selling conditions, at strong prices on a mainly upward trend. They were distinctly more variables during the same period of 2022.

Finally, Brazil continued its steady Cuscus yam shipments, which sold at stable prices on a slight increase in the second half of December for the festive period.

Eddoe

Eddoe prices saw little variation in Q4 2023. The steady supply from Costa Rica covered the demand level. The slight price fluctuations registered were due to size variations and the more fragile quality of some ends of batches. Prices were in line with those from the previous period. Conversely, they were not as high as the same time last year, when availability was distinctly lower.

Dasheen

The dasheen market underwent changes in Q4, with the reappearance of produce from St. Vincent which had been absent since the end of March 2023. Its sale prices remained high in October, at around €4.80/kg. They dipped thereafter to around €4.00/kg, and then €3.80/kg in late December. Meanwhile, Martinique continued its air-freight shipments, with sales steady at an average of €4.45/kg, and slightly on the increase at the end of the period.

Cassava

Costa Rican cassava rates saw a slight fall in early October from the previous period. They then remained stable until mid-December, before dipping again until the end of the year.

Ginger

The fall in Brazilian shipments and paucity of Chinese shipments from November caused a fairly considerably price increase from €0.50 to €1.00/kg. Prices stabilised thereafter for all the origins in place. Peru, a secondary origin for this product, took advantage of these good market conditions, and followed the same trend as Brazil and China. At the end of the campaign, Brazil also exported some air-freight batches, contributing to increasing the registered sale prices.