French stone fruit takes premium spot as Spanish prices drop across EU wholesale markets

Stone Fruit Market Digest | Week 23, 2026

Week 23 marks a strong surge in the European stone fruit campaign. French stone fruit has arrived in volume on the Rungis market and is commanding a clear premium. At Spain’s Mercamadrid, origin prices keep decreasing as volumes hit their seasonal peak. Germany’s market is still priced higher, but easing, and Greek domestic fruit holds broadly steady.

This report covers fresh fruit in four major EU wholesale markets: Spain's Mercamadrid, France's Rungis International Market, the German Federal Agency for Agriculture and Food market reporting (BLE), and Greece's Athens Central Market (OKAA).

Stay up to date with our weekly Fresh Fruit Market Digests

Mercamadrid prices continue softening

At Mercamadrid, the broad price decrease continued. Cherries fell to €4.09/kg (from €5.20), apricots to €2.11/kg (from €2.30), early red peaches to €2.06/kg (from €2.54) and flat peaches to €2.67/kg (from €2.79). Yellow-flesh nectarines were the exception, essentially flat at €2.53/kg, because volume nearly doubled. Yellow peaches firmed slightly to €3.24/kg. This general price drop is typical for the peak season, as volumes increase.

On the volume side, there were about 1,210 tons of red and yellow peaches cleared, overtaking cherries (1,010 tons) as the largest stone-fruit line for the first time this campaign. Nectarines (694 tons) and apricots (407 tons) followed, while plums and flat peaches also rose.

Cherries

At Mercamadrid the most-frequent cherry price slid to €4.09/kg (range €1.00–10.00) on a huge 1,010 tons, with Cáceres (Jerte and Extremadura, 464 tons) and Zaragoza (Aragón, 381 tons) now in full supply.

At OKAA, domestic cherries were held at €2.50/kg, about half of what they were priced at the same time last year.

In the BLE, large-fruited Spanish cherries were priced at €8.34/kg and large-fruited Greek cherries at €7.03/kg, though quality was uneven, with a wide price span in Hamburg, and exclusive lots were scarce and expensive in Berlin and München.

At Rungis, there was no fixed cherry price posted, but domestic cherries were described as firm-to-bullish for large +28 calibre, with later Spanish varieties offering entry-level pricing after a storm-hit early start.

Both the German and French bulletins flag the Italian cherry campaign as approaching.

The origin price at Mercamadrid has nearly halved in three weeks (€8.18 to €4.09) while German wholesale, though easing, is still roughly double and decreasing only gradually. Premium large-calibre and specialty fruit (French +28, Jerte Picota) remain separate, firmer markets.

French fruit arrives in volume

In week 23, French domestic stone fruit arrived in volume on the Rungis market, thanks to an early heatwave that abruptly changed the market’s rhythm and triggered a late-week surge in summer-fruit demand. French nectarines, peaches, and apricots now trade at a clear premium to Spanish varieties. Rungis did not quote the Spanish calibre-B nectarine and peach this week, as the focus turned to French and Spanish calibre-A fruit.

French 2026 peach production is estimated at 234,000 tons, about 4% more than last year and 5% more than the five-year average. Conversely, French apricots have a smaller production and are firming, while Spanish apricots remain bearish.

Apricots

Apricots eased further. At Mercamadrid, common apricots fell to €2.11/kg (€0.80–7.00) on 407 tons, led by Murcia.

OKAA held domestic early apricots at €1.70/kg, down from €2.00.

At Rungis, Spanish apricots were bearish on solid supply, €2.13/kg at 40–45 mm and €2.70/kg at 45–50 mm. The French “orange-type” apricots firmed to €4.25/kg on a domestic production gap.

In Germany, the BLE showed Spanish apicots at €3.23/kg, Italian at €4.09, French at €4.37, Greek at €3.75, and Turkish at €2.97, with varying availability and quality.

Peaches and nectarines

The peach and nectarine complex is at full volume. At Mercamadrid, early red peaches fell to €2.06/kg (871 tons) while yellow firmed to €3.24/kg (339 tons). Yellow-flesh nectarines held €2.53/kg on 694 tons.

OKAA listed domestic peaches at €2.00/kg.

At Rungis, Spanish peach prices collapsed by about 40% week-on-week (white and yellow both at €2.63/kg) as French fruit took over the premium tier. French white peaches were priced at €5.00/kg, yellow peaches at €4.00/kg, and nectarines at €4.50/kg.

In Germany, Spanish yellow-flesh peaches and nectarines were dominant, and prices eased. Yellow nectarine AA was priced at €4.05/kg, yellow peach AA at €3.85/kg, and extra-large peach at €5.78/kg. There was Italian fruit as well, which is set to grow more important.

Flat peaches and flat nectarines

Spanish flat fruit has kept arriving. Paraguaya (flat peaches) at Mercamadrid eased to €2.67/kg on a rising 338 tons. Platerinas and paraguayos reached German wholesale exclusively from Spain, with platerinas at €6.11/kg (down from €6.94) and paraguayos at €4.50/kg. Rungis did not post a flat peach price this week.

Plums

The European plum campaign is now opening slowly. Mercamadrid’s domestic purple plums rose to €3.01/kg on 212 tons, more than triple the prior week’s 60 tons, supplied by Badajoz and Murcia. This category will keep building.

France and Germany still do not show European plums.

Key factors to keep an eye on

●       Domestic premium: French stone fruit is the highest-priced in the Rungis market, with Italian cherries and peaches reported to be coming soon in Germany and France. Spanish volumes may fall from the premium as northern fruit ramps up.

●       Cherry spread still wide: The origin price has nearly halved in three weeks, yet German wholesale remains roughly double. Premium large-calibre and protected-origin fruit trades are firmer. Italian cherries should start soon.

●       Heat-driven demand: Heatwaves are accelerating summer-fruit demand, especially in France.

●       Volume peak & quality: Peaches are now the largest line. Apricot and cherry quality is repeatedly flagged as uneven. Grade and arrival conditions are the key margin levers.

●       Plums starting: Spanish plum volumes tripled week-on-week. Early-season pricing around €3/kg could change quickly as the campaign builds into mid-summer.

Buy and sell fresh fruit on the Wikifarmer Marketplace and track real-time prices with Wikifarmer’s Price Insights

Disclaimer: The information provided on this website, including market prices, insights, and projections, is for general informational purposes only. While we strive to ensure accuracy and timeliness, we make no guarantees regarding the completeness, reliability, or suitability of the information presented. Users are solely responsible for independently verifying the data and assessing its relevance to their specific circumstances before making any decisions. Wikifarmer and its operators shall not be held liable for any losses, damages, or consequences arising from the use of the information provided herein.