""

Required Report - public distribution

**Date:** 12/19/2003

**GAIN Report Number:** BE4001

BE4001

**Belgium-Luxembourg**

**Fresh Deciduous Fruit**

**Semi-Annual**

**2004**

**Approved by:**

![](media/image1.wmf)Roger A. Wentzel

U.S. Embassy, Brussels

**Prepared by:**

Yvan Polet

**Report Highlights:**

Belgium/Luxembourg post-harvest apple production estimates for 2003 show
a 10 percent decrease compared to 2002. This decrease is expected to
lead to lower exports.

Post-harvest pear production estimates for 2003 are almost unchanged
from 2002. As a result, little changes are expected in MY 2003 pear
consumption and trade.

Includes PSD Changes: Yes

Includes Trade Matrix: Yes

Semi-Annual Report

The Hague \[NL1\]

\[BE\]

Table of Contents

[Executive Summary 3](#executive-summary)

[Apples 3](#__RefHeading___Toc44206934)

[Pears 5](#pears)

# Executive Summary

Post harvest estimates put commercial apple and pear production in 2003
at 319 thousand tons and 174 thousand tons, respectively. Compared to
2002, apple production decreased 10 percent, while pear production
increased 1 percent. Frost damage at flowering and summer drought had
less of an impact on production than was initially forecast.

While fresh consumption remains stable, lower apple production will lead
to lower exports for MY2003. For pears, MY2003 consumption and trade
will likely be unchanged.

# Apples

Due to frost damage and summer drought, 2003 pre-harvest production
forecasts were low. Post-harvest estimates, however, reveal production
of 319,000 tons, about 2 percent above the 5-year average. This is 16
percent higher than the pre-harvest estimate, but 10 percent below the
2002 production level.

The 2003 marketing season started slowly compared to 2002, but with
average prices rising to more than €300/MT (compared to €250/MT in
2002), apple sales began to pick up by the end of November. Domestic
fresh apple consumption is expected to continue its slow, long-term
decline. While imports, mainly counter seasonal, are expected to remain
stable, lower 2003 production will lead to decreasing exports compared
to MY2002.

+------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
| **PSD Table**    |       |       |       |       |       |       |
+------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
| **Country**      | **    |       |       |       |       |       |
|                  | Belgi |       |       |       |       |       |
|                  | um-Lu |       |       |       |       |       |
|                  | xembo |       |       |       |       |       |
|                  | urg** |       |       |       |       |       |
+------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
| **Commodity**    | **    |       |       | (HA)  |       |       |
|                  | Fresh |       |       | (1000 |       |       |
|                  | App   |       |       | TREES |       |       |
|                  | les** |       |       | )(MT) |       |       |
+------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
|                  | **2   | *     | **2   | **    | **2   | **    |
|                  | 001** | *Revi | 002** | Estim | 003** | Forec |
|                  |       | sed** |       | ate** |       | ast** |
+------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
|                  | USDA  | Post  | USDA  | Post  | USDA  | Post  |
|                  | Off   | Est   | Off   | Est   | Off   | Est   |
|                  | icial | imate | icial | imate | icial | imate |
|                  | \[    | \[    | \[    | \[    | \[    | \[    |
|                  | Old\] | New\] | Old\] | New\] | Old\] | New\] |
+------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
| ###### M         |       | 07    |       | 07    |       | 07    |
| arket Year Begin |       | /2001 |       | /2002 |       | /2003 |
+------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
| ####             | 11900 | 11900 | 12000 | 12000 | 0     | 10660 |
| ### Area Planted |       |       |       |       |       |       |
+------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
| **Area           | 9500  | 9500  | 10900 | 10900 | 0     | 9560  |
| Harvested**      |       |       |       |       |       |       |
+------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
| **Bearing        | 20000 | 20000 | 20000 | 20000 | 0     | 17800 |
| Trees**          |       |       |       |       |       |       |
+------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
| **Non-Bearing    | 0     | 0     | 0     | 0     | 0     | 0     |
| Trees**          |       |       |       |       |       |       |
+------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
| **Total Trees**  | 20000 | 20000 | 20000 | 20000 | 0     | 17800 |
+------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
| **Commercial     | 3     | 3     | 3     | 3     | 0     | 3     |
| Production**     | 40064 | 40064 | 48100 | 48617 |       | 18900 |
+------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
| **Non-Comm.      | 3500  | 3500  | 3500  | 4000  | 0     | 3200  |
| Production**     |       |       |       |       |       |       |
+------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
| **TOTAL          | 3     | 3     | 3     | 3     | 0     | 3     |
| Production**     | 43564 | 43564 | 51600 | 52617 |       | 22100 |
+------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
| **TOTAL          | 2     | 2     | 2     | 2     | 0     | 2     |
| Imports**        | 36091 | 32811 | 40000 | 57528 |       | 57000 |
+------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
| **TOTAL SUPPLY** | 5     | 5     | 5     | 6     | 0     | 5     |
|                  | 79655 | 76375 | 91600 | 10145 |       | 79100 |
+------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
| **Domestic Fresh | 1     | 1     | 1     | 1     | 0     | 1     |
| Consump**        | 77489 | 81423 | 84100 | 82573 |       | 79000 |
+------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
| **Exports, Fresh | 3     | 3     | 3     | 3     | 0     | 3     |
| Only**           | 37609 | 30395 | 40000 | 67238 |       | 40000 |
+------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
| **For            | 64400 | 64400 | 65000 | 60000 | 0     | 60000 |
| Processing**     |       |       |       |       |       |       |
+------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
| **Withdrawal     | 157   | 157   | 2500  | 334   | 0     | 100   |
| From Market**    |       |       |       |       |       |       |
+------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
| **TOTAL          | 5     | 5     | 5     | 6     | 0     | 5     |
| UTILIZATION**    | 79655 | 76375 | 91600 | 10145 |       | 79100 |
+------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+

+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Export Trade Matrix**   |             |             |             |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Country**               | Belgium     |             |             |
|                           | -Luxembourg |             |             |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Commodity**             | ######## F  |             |             |
|                           | resh Apples |             |             |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| # Time Period             | July-June   | Units:      | Metric Tons |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Exports for:**          | **MY2001**  |             | **MY2002**  |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **U.S.**                  | 0           | U.S.        | 0           |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Others:**               |             | Others:     |             |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Germany**               | 132377      |             | 170892      |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Netherlands**           | 70121       |             | 80251       |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Russia**                | 31476       |             | 43375       |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **France**                | 40844       |             | 27462       |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **United Kingdom**        | 5069        |             | 13603       |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Spain**                 | 6664        |             | 6576        |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Sweden**                | 4761        |             | 4234        |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Denmark**               | 2582        |             | 3113        |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Belarus**               | 13279       |             | 2501        |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| ** **                     |             |             |             |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Total for 'Others'**    | 307173      |             | 352007      |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Others not Listed**     | 23222       |             | 15231       |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Grand Total**           | 330395      |             | 367238      |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+

## 

+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Import Trade Matrix**   |             |             |             |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Country**               | Belgium     |             |             |
|                           | -Luxembourg |             |             |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Commodity**             | Fresh       |             |             |
|                           | Apples      |             |             |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| # Time Period             | July-June   | Units:      | Metric Tons |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Imports for:**          | **MY2001**  |             | **MY2002**  |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **U.S.**                  | 56          | U.S.        | 43          |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Others:**               |             | Others:     |             |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **New Zealand**           | 76694       |             | 81515       |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Netherlands**           | 39316       |             | 44681       |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **France**                | 46039       |             | 45674       |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Argentina**             | 27758       |             | 31140       |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **South Africa**          | 14635       |             | 22145       |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Italy**                 | 13476       |             | 15431       |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **United Kingdom**        | 2012        |             | 3564        |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Germany**               | 2992        |             | 3809        |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Brazil**                | 5234        |             | 2915        |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| ** **                     |             |             |             |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Total for 'Others'**    | 228156      |             | 250874      |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Others not Listed**     | 4599        |             | 6611        |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Grand Total**           | 232811      |             | 257528      |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+

Source: World Trade Atlas

# Pears

Post-harvest estimates for 2003 Belgian pear production (of 174,000
tons) were 22 percent above Prognosfruit's pre-harvest forecast. That is
about 1 percent above final 2002 production figures and in line with the
5-year average. However, production area increased almost five percent
in 2003, and per hectare production is below the 2002 level. November
prices were almost equal to 2002 prices, as was sales volume. Domestic
consumption is expected to remain stable and MY2003 trade figures are
also expected to remain unchanged.

+--------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
| **PSD Table**      |       |       |       |       |       |       |
+--------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
| **Country**        | **    |       |       |       |       |       |
|                    | Belgi |       |       |       |       |       |
|                    | um-Lu |       |       |       |       |       |
|                    | xembo |       |       |       |       |       |
|                    | urg** |       |       |       |       |       |
+--------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
| **Commodity**      | **    |       |       | (HA)  |       |       |
|                    | Fresh |       |       | (1000 |       |       |
|                    | Pe    |       |       | TREES |       |       |
|                    | ars** |       |       | )(MT) |       |       |
+--------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
|                    | **2   | *     | **2   | **    | **2   | **    |
|                    | 001** | *Revi | 002** | Estim | 003** | Forec |
|                    |       | sed** |       | ate** |       | ast** |
+--------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
|                    | USDA  | Post  | USDA  | Post  | USDA  | Post  |
|                    | Off   | Est   | Off   | Est   | Off   | Est   |
|                    | icial | imate | icial | imate | icial | imate |
|                    | \[    | \[    | \[    | \[    | \[    | \[    |
|                    | Old\] | New\] | Old\] | New\] | Old\] | New\] |
+--------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
| **Market Year      |       | 07    |       | 07    |       | 07    |
| Begin**            |       | /2001 |       | /2002 |       | /2003 |
+--------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
| ##                 | 7135  | 7135  | 7350  | 7350  | 0     | 7760  |
| ##### Area Planted |       |       |       |       |       |       |
+--------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
| **Area Harvested** | 6600  | 6600  | 6850  | 6950  | 0     | 7360  |
+--------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
| **Bearing Trees**  | 9500  | 9500  | 9800  | 9950  | 0     | 10500 |
+--------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
| **Non-Bearing      | 0     | 0     | 0     | 0     | 0     | 0     |
| Trees**            |       |       |       |       |       |       |
+--------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
| **Total Trees**    | 9500  | 9500  | 9800  | 9950  | 0     | 10500 |
+--------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
| **Commercial       | 88676 | 88676 | 1     | 1     | 0     | 1     |
| Production**       |       |       | 70985 | 72640 |       | 74300 |
+--------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
| **Non-Comm.        | 1000  | 1000  | 1200  | 1200  | 0     | 1200  |
| Production**       |       |       |       |       |       |       |
+--------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
| **TOTAL            | 89676 | 89676 | 1     | 1     | 0     | 1     |
| Production**       |       |       | 72185 | 73840 |       | 75500 |
+--------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
| **TOTAL Imports**  | 85766 | 90134 | 65000 | 78412 | 0     | 70000 |
+--------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
| **TOTAL SUPPLY**   | 1     | 1     | 2     | 2     | 0     | 2     |
|                    | 75442 | 79810 | 37185 | 52252 |       | 45500 |
+--------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
| **Domestic Fresh   | 40419 | 49891 | 45185 | 49036 | 0     | 48500 |
| Consump**          |       |       |       |       |       |       |
+--------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
| **Exports, Fresh   | 1     | 1     | 1     | 1     | 0     | 1     |
| Only**             | 32441 | 26637 | 85000 | 86865 |       | 85000 |
+--------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
| **For Processing** | 2300  | 3000  | 2500  | 13000 | 0     | 9000  |
+--------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
| **Withdrawal From  | 282   | 282   | 4500  | 3351  | 0     | 3000  |
| Market**           |       |       |       |       |       |       |
+--------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
| **TOTAL            | 1     | 1     | 2     | 2     | 0     | 2     |
| UTILIZATION**      | 75442 | 79810 | 37185 | 52252 |       | 45500 |
+--------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+

##  

## 

+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Export Trade Matrix**   |             |             |             |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Country**               | Belgium     |             |             |
|                           | -Luxembourg |             |             |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Commodity**             | Fresh Pears |             |             |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| # Time Period             | July-June   | Units:      | Metric Tons |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Exports for:**          | **MY2001**  |             | **MY2002**  |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **U.S.**                  | 0           | U.S.        | 0           |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Others:**               |             | Others:     |             |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Germany**               | 28420       |             | 36651       |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Russia**                | 19898       |             | 33273       |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Netherlands**           | 23052       |             | 32733       |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **France**                | 19615       |             | 23179       |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Spain**                 | 6314        |             | 18279       |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **United Kingdom**        | 9174        |             | 16484       |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Norway**                | 7288        |             | 8991        |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Sweden**                | 3693        |             | 3848        |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| ** **                     |             |             |             |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| ** **                     |             |             |             |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Total for 'Others'**    | 117454      |             | 173438      |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Others not Listed**     | 9183        |             | 13427       |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Grand Total**           | 126637      |             | 186865      |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+

## 

+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Import Trade Matrix**   |             |             |             |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Country**               | Belgium     |             |             |
|                           | -Luxembourg |             |             |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Commodity**             | Fresh Pears |             |             |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| ####### Time Period       | July-June   | Units:      | Metric Tons |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Imports for:**          | **MY2001**  |             | **MY2002**  |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **U.S.**                  | 0           | U.S.        | 91          |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Others:**               |             | Others:     |             |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Argentina**             | 38401       |             | 32595       |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **South-Africa**          | 16091       |             | 15134       |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Netherlands**           | 8957        |             | 13790       |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **France**                | 11334       |             | 9650        |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Spain**                 | 8684        |             | 2377        |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Italy**                 | 2855        |             | 1089        |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| ** **                     |             |             |             |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| ** **                     |             |             |             |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Total for 'Others'**    | 86322       |             | 74635       |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Others not Listed**     | 3812        |             | 3686        |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| **Grand Total**           | 90134       |             | 78412       |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+

Source: World Trade Atlas