Strawberry wholesale prices hit 2026 low as EU peak supply arrives

Fresh Fruit Market Digest – Week 15, 2026

European wholesale fruit markets continue to show diverging trends, with strawberry prices extending their seasonal decline across key trading hubs as Spanish supply peaks, while citrus markets firmed amid tightening late-season availability. Lemon prices strengthened across several markets, and wholesale buyers are increasingly turning their attention to the final phase of the European citrus campaign.

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Spain — Mercamadrid

In Spain, the citrus season is gradually drawing to a close, with prices remaining relatively stable in recent weeks.

Within Mercamadrid’s citrus category, the most notable movement this week was the decline in Salustiana oranges, which fell from €0.70/kg before Easter to €0.66/kg this week. The drop suggests late-season supply is beginning to outpace demand as the variety nears the end of its commercial window. Further discounting or reduced availability may follow as packers clear remaining stocks.

By contrast, Lane Late oranges rose from €1.30 to €1.37/kg, a 5.4% increase, indicating continued demand for quality late-season navel fruit as earlier varieties leave the market.

Primafiori lemons also strengthened, increasing from €1.50 to €1.58/kg (+5.3%) amid tightening supply and firmer spring demand from foodservice and beverage buyers. Market participants should monitor competing supply from Turkey and South Africa, which may influence Spanish pricing in the weeks ahead.

At the premium end of the citrus range, Orri mandarins held steady at €2.30/kg, underlining sustained demand for branded easy-peel varieties. Nadorcott mandarins were unchanged at €1.40/kg.

Mercamadrid strawberry prices fell to their lowest level of 2026 in Week 15, reaching €3.04/kg. This marks a cumulative decline of 62% from the season-opening price of €8.00/kg in Week 1, though the pace of decline remains broadly in line with historical seasonal trends. The move likely reflects peak harvest volumes from Huelva, where production is currently at its annual high.

The lower price environment remains favourable for buyers sourcing volume for processing, foodservice, and retail promotions. For growers and packers, however, margin pressure continues to intensify, with the outlook for the next several weeks dependent on weather conditions and retailer demand.

Greece — Central Market of Athens (OKAA)

The Athens Central Market (OKAA) continues to show relative price stability across most fruit categories.

Variety	Week 13 (€/kg)	Week 15 (€/kg)	Change
Avocado	3.00	3.00	=
Kiwi	2.00	2.00	=
Krystallia pears	1.70	1.70	=
Lemons	1.10	1.10	=
Granny Smith apples	1.30	1.30	=
Starking Delicious apples	1.30	1.30	=
Fuji apples	1.60	1.60	=
Lane Late oranges	0.70	0.75	+7.14%
Strawberries	2.30	2.20	-4.35%

Avocados remained at €3.00/kg, kiwi at €2.00/kg, Krystallia pears at €1.70/kg, and lemons at €1.10/kg. The three main apple varieties — Granny Smith (€1.30/kg), Starking Delicious (€1.30/kg), and Fuji (€1.60/kg) — were also unchanged.

The only notable citrus movement came from Lane Late oranges, which rose from €0.70 to €0.75/kg (+7.1%), mirroring the upward trend seen in Spain and indicating tightening availability of late-season navel fruit across Southern Europe.

Strawberries at OKAA slipped from €2.30 to €2.20/kg (-4.3%), a moderate decline that leaves Athens prices well below Belgian and French-origin levels at Rungis. The lower pricing reflects proximity to domestic Greek production as well as competitively priced Spanish imports.

Greek strawberry production, concentrated primarily in the Peloponnese, typically increases through April and May, which may place further downward pressure on Athens prices in the weeks ahead.

Germany — Federal Office for Agriculture & Food (BLE)

Germany’s BLE wholesale data presents a broad multi-origin citrus picture, tracking both Spanish and Italian varieties.

Italian-origin citrus showed general softening in Week 14. Moro oranges declined from €2.18 to €2.08/kg (-4.6%), while Tarocco blood oranges fell from €2.93 to €2.80/kg (-4.4%) after Easter. Despite the decline, Tarocco remains the highest-priced citrus variety tracked in this report, supported by premium origin branding and limited late-season availability.

Spanish-origin citrus delivered a more mixed performance. Spanish Navel oranges eased from €1.43 to €1.40/kg, while Salustiana oranges slipped marginally from €1.13 to €1.11/kg. Sanguinelli blood oranges declined from €1.83 to €1.76/kg as the season winds down.

The standout exception was Spanish lemons, which rose from €1.53 to €1.64/kg (+7.2%), reinforcing the tightening trend also seen in Mercamadrid and pointing to firmer supply conditions at origin.

Spanish mandarins at the BLE increased from €1.97 to €2.05/kg (+4.1%), reflecting broader late-season firmness in the mandarin segment, while Cara Cara oranges held steady at €1.60/kg.

In strawberries, Spanish fruit continued its steep seasonal decline, falling from €5.15/kg in Week 4 to €2.93/kg by Week 14, making Spanish origin the lowest-priced strawberry in German wholesale markets.

Dutch strawberries entered BLE reporting in Week 12 at €8.10/kg and eased to €7.69/kg by Week 14, as greenhouse production expands and early-season scarcity premiums fade.

Italian strawberries peaked at €8.01/kg in Week 7 before easing steadily to €5.89/kg by Week 14.

Greek strawberries, the first origin to enter the German market this season at €7.46/kg, have since declined sharply to €3.89/kg, narrowing the gap with Spanish fruit as production volumes increase.

German domestic strawberries entered BLE reporting for the first time in Week 14 at €8.45/kg, the highest price of any origin. The premium reflects the traditionally elevated positioning of early domestic fruit at the start of the German season.

France — Rungis International Market

The Rungis market offers insight into French domestic supply alongside Spanish and Belgian imports, showing major price drops in several categories.

Variety	Week 12 (€/kg)	Week 13 (€/kg)	Change
Lemon, Spain	1.80	1.80	=
Conference pear, France	2.30	2.30	=
Gala apple, France	1.90	1.82	-4.21%
Golden apple, France	1.72	1.62	-5.81%
Granny Smith apple, France	1.80	1.72	-4.44%
Reinette Grise du Canada apple, France	2.00	2.00	=
Strawberries, Belgium	13.60	10.90	-19.85%
Strawberries, Spain	6.26	3.40	-45.69%
Strawberries, France	12.36	10.04	-18.77%

French apple prices softened across all major varieties between Week 12 and Week 13, indicating some resistance in the late-season storage market. Gala apples declined from €1.90 to €1.82/kg (-4.2%), Golden apples fell from €1.72 to €1.62/kg (-5.8%), and Granny Smith apples slipped from €1.80 to €1.72/kg (-4.4%).

Reinette Grise du Canada apples held firm at €2.00/kg, maintaining their premium market position. Conference pears remained unchanged at €2.30/kg, while Spanish lemons were stable at €1.80/kg, suggesting balanced supply and demand in both categories.

The most notable development at Rungis was the sharp divergence in strawberry pricing by origin. Spanish strawberries plunged from €6.26 to €3.40/kg (-45.7%) over the two-week period, confirming the impact of peak Huelva supply on French import pricing. Belgian strawberries remained at a significant premium at €10.90/kg, down from €13.60/kg, while French strawberries eased from €12.36 to €10.04/kg.

The price gap between strawberries from different origins highlights the structural cost advantage of Spanish fruit, which remains the dominant volume option for mainstream retail and foodservice buyers.

Market outlook

●       Strawberries: Strawberry prices are expected to soften further in the coming weeks, with pressure centred on Spanish supply as the Huelva campaign moves through its seasonal peak. Weather remains the key variable. In Germany, Dutch greenhouse strawberries continue building in volume, and further price easing is likely as production expands. Spanish and Greek fruit should continue anchoring the lower end of the market, while Dutch, Belgian, and German premium lines remain positioned in the €7–9/kg range.

●       Citrus: The Spanish citrus campaign is entering its closing phase, with Lane Late oranges and Spanish mandarins remaining the principal lines in circulation. Firming prices at Mercamadrid and the BLE indicate tightening availability. Lemon prices continue strengthening across wholesale markets. Italian citrus, particularly Tarocco blood oranges, is also nearing the end of the season, with further easing expected as final stocks clear.

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