Required Report - public distribution

**Date:** 1/17/2006

**GAIN Report Number:** AR6001

AR6001

**Argentina**

**Fresh Deciduous Fruit**

**Annual**

**2005**

**Approved by:**

![](media/image1.wmf)Robert K. Hoff

U.S. Embassy

**Prepared by:**

Francisco Pirovano

**Report Highlights:**

The Argentine fresh deciduous fruit crop for Calendar Year (CY) 2006 is
expected to increase to 1.88 million metric tons (MT). Total exports are
forecast to decline to 660,000 MT, as exporters will be more cautious
sending their produce only to well known markets. Domestic consumption
is expected to increase to 360,000 MT, as a result of more fruit
available due to a better harvest and fewer exports.

Includes PSD Changes: Yes

Includes Trade Matrix: No

Annual Report

Buenos Aires \[AR1\]

\[AR\]

Table of Contents

[Section I. Situation and Outlook 3](#section-i.-situation-and-outlook)

[Production 3](#production)

[Domestic Consumption 4](#domestic-consumption)

[Trade 4](#trade)

[Factors Affecting Industry Structure
6](#factors-affecting-industry-structure)

[**Strikes for Salary Adjustments and other Demands
6**](#strikes-for-salary-adjustments-and-other-demands)

[**Phytosanitary Constraints 6**](#phytosanitary-constraints)

[**Export Taxes 6**](#export-taxes)

[**Production Costs 6**](#production-costs)

[**Prices 7**](#prices)

[Section II. Statistical Tables 9](#section-ii.-statistical-tables)

# Section I. Situation and Outlook

# Production

Fresh deciduous fruit production for calendar year (CY) 2006 is forecast
at 1.88 million metric tons (MT), a two-percent increase compared with
the CY 2005 harvest.

Planted area in both Mendoza and the southern valleys has changed over
the years, according to new data from the census of Rio Negro province.
Planted area to pears has increased while apple planted area shrank
considerably. This is the result of a market driven conversion of the
old and traditional Red Delicious apple orchards to Bartlet pears and
Gala apples.

+-------------+-----------+-------------+------------+--------------+
| **Table 1.  |           |             |            |              |
| Fresh       |           |             |            |              |
| Deciduous   |           |             |            |              |
| Fruits      |           |             |            |              |
| Total       |           |             |            |              |
| P           |           |             |            |              |
| roduction** |           |             |            |              |
+-------------+-----------+-------------+------------+--------------+
| #           | **CY      |             | **CY       |              |
|             | 2005**    |             | 2006**     |              |
+-------------+-----------+-------------+------------+--------------+
|             | **Area    | *           | **Area     | **Production |
|             | (Ha)**    | *Production | (Ha)**     | (MT)**       |
|             |           | (MT)**      |            |              |
+-------------+-----------+-------------+------------+--------------+
| **Mendoza** | 8,200     | 190,000     | 9,100      | 220,000      |
+-------------+-----------+-------------+------------+--------------+
| **Southern  | 59,500    | 1,650,000   | 51,000     | 1,660,000    |
| Valleys**   |           |             |            |              |
+-------------+-----------+-------------+------------+--------------+
| **Total**   | 67,700    | 1,840,000   | 60,100     | 1,880,000    |
+-------------+-----------+-------------+------------+--------------+

The CY 2006 apple crop is forecast slightly up from CY 2005, with an
increase of one percent. Sources in the industry informed that fruit
quality for the 2005 season would reach export standards.

+-------------+-----------+-------------+-------------+---------------+
| **Table 2.  |           |             |             |               |
| Apple       |           |             |             |               |
| P           |           |             |             |               |
| roduction** |           |             |             |               |
+-------------+-----------+-------------+-------------+---------------+
| #           | **CY      |             | **CY 2006** |               |
|             | 2005**    |             |             |               |
+-------------+-----------+-------------+-------------+---------------+
|             | **Area    | *           | **Area      | **Production  |
|             | (Ha)**    | *Production | (Ha)**      | (MT)**        |
|             |           | (MT)**      |             |               |
+-------------+-----------+-------------+-------------+---------------+
| **Mendoza** | 4,600     | 100,000     | 4,500       | 110,000       |
+-------------+-----------+-------------+-------------+---------------+
| **Southern  | 46,000    | 1,100,000   | 30,000      | 1,100,000     |
| Valleys**   |           |             |             |               |
+-------------+-----------+-------------+-------------+---------------+
| **Total**   | 50,600    | 1,200,000   | 34,500      | 1,210,000     |
+-------------+-----------+-------------+-------------+---------------+

The pear harvest looks better than that of CY 2004 crop in terms of
volume. An increase of ten percent is expected for CY 2006 harvest.
However, at this time, the size of the fruit is much smaller than the
previous season. According to sources in the industry, quality may be an
issue this year. Due to lack of warm days, the fruit size is smaller
than what is needed to export. Therefore, even though most of the
Bartlet pears have reached their physiological ripeness, and the harvest
is currently underway, size of the fruit is still too small for the
fresh market. Producers are concerned about having to send greater
amounts of their fruit to processing plants this season than in other
years.

+--------------+-----------+-------------+-------------+--------------+
| **Table 3.   |           |             |             |              |
| Pear         |           |             |             |              |
| Production** |           |             |             |              |
+--------------+-----------+-------------+-------------+--------------+
| #            | **CY      |             | **CY 2006** |              |
|              | 2005**    |             |             |              |
+--------------+-----------+-------------+-------------+--------------+
|              | **Area    | *           | **Area      | **Production |
|              | (Ha)**    | *Production | (Ha)**      | (MT)**       |
|              |           | (MT)**      |             |              |
+--------------+-----------+-------------+-------------+--------------+
| **Mendoza**  | 3,600     | 90,000      | 4,600       | 110,000      |
+--------------+-----------+-------------+-------------+--------------+
| **Southern   | 13,500    | 550,000     | 21,000      | 600,000      |
| Valleys**    |           |             |             |              |
+--------------+-----------+-------------+-------------+--------------+
| **Total**    | 17,100    | 640,000     | 25,600      | 710,000      |
+--------------+-----------+-------------+-------------+--------------+

Concentrated apple juice (CAJ) production is expected to increase a
little in CY 2006 to 66,000 MT. CY 2005 production of CAJ was 65,000 MT.

# Domestic Consumption

Domestic consumption of apples in CY 2006 is expected to grow to 260,000
MT as a result of more fruit in the market due to fewer exports. Also
pear consumption is forecast to increase to 100,000 MT in CY 2006 due to
higher production.

# Trade

CY 2006 fresh deciduous fruit exports are expected to decline to 660,000
MT as a result of a more selective attitude at the time of choosing
buyers abroad and poor quality fruit in the case of pears. After the
record high of 706,000 MT reached in the first eleven months of CY 2005,
total fresh deciduous fruit exports are forecast to decline in CY 2006.
Financial problems in the Russian Federation market in CY 2005 have led
to redirection of the Argentine apple shipments for CY 2006. Sources in
the industry assert that in CY 2005 too much Argentine fruit entered the
Russian Federation causing an oversupply, precipitating a crash price,
which in turn led to loses of US\$400,000 for the Argentine exporters.

Post forecasts a fall in apple exports by 15 percent for CY 2006 at
230,000 MT. According to sources in the industry, apple exports to the
Russian Federation and the European Union (EU) will drop in CY 2006 by
at least 50,000 MT. Other markets like Asia, the United States, Brazil,
and Canada will be looked at instead. Argentine Gala apples will be
present in the international market between the 5-20 of February. During
this period neither Brazil nor Chile compete with Argentina.

Up until November 2005, apple exports reached 266,000 MT valued at
US\$121 million. Post estimates that total exports for CY 2005 ended up
at 270,000 MT. In CY 2004 total apple exports reached 206,000 MT valued
at US\$91 million.

The main market for Argentine apples continues to be the EU accounting
for over 48 percent of the total volume exported from Jan-Nov 2005
(125,000 MT). The Russian Federation and Brazil follow with 26 percent
(68,000 MT) and 15 percent (39,000 MT), respectively. The three
aforementioned markets receive more than 90 percent of the Argentine
exports. Apple exports to the United States during the period Jan-Nov
2005 reached 1,300 MT valued at US\$700,000.

In CY 2006 pear exports are expected to fall four percent to 430,000 MT
as a result of less quality fruit suitable for export. This fall could
have been greater if not for the better than expected harvest.

Up until November 2005 pear exports achieved a total volume of 440,000
MT valued at US\$207 million. It is expected that total pear exports for
CY 2005 will reach 445,000 MT. This increase is due to more shipments to
the EU, mainly to Italy and Brazil and the Russian Federation, which
grew 20 percent each in CY 2005. In CY 2004, pear exports reached
320,000 MT, three percent lower than in the same period in CY 2003.
Export values in 2004 were US\$154 million, two percent above the level
reached in the same period in CY 2003.

Ninety-six percent of the pear shipments are shipped to the EU, the
Russian Federation, Brazil and, the United States. Shipments to the U.S.
declined from 50,000 MT in CY 2003 to 36,000 MT in CY 2004, due to
quality problems but previous volumes were regained in CY 2005 reaching
a volume of 49,000 MT in the period January-November 2005. Meanwhile,
the Russian market continued to grow at a rate of 30 percent comparing
CY 2004 and CY 2005, (92,000 MT). After a drop in the exports to Brazil
to 50,000 MT in CY 2003 and CY 2004, due to phytosanitary constraints,
CY 2005 exports to Brazil reached 83,000 MT surpassing the 80,000 MT
shipped in CY 2002.

Between January and November 2005, CAJ exports were 58,000 MT of which
57,000 MT went to the United States. CAJ exports in CY 2004 reached
45,000 MT. Historically, Argentina has exported nearly 97 percent of its
national production of CAJ.

Imports of apples, pears and CAJ in CY 2005 were insignificant and this
trend is expected to continue, given the weakness of the Argentine peso
after its devaluation in February 2002.

Import and Export Regulations

+----------------------------------------------------------------+-----+
| ######### Table 4. Fresh Apples (0808.10) and Pears (0808.20)  |     |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+-----+
| ######### Outside the Mercosur Area                            |     |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+-----+
| **Import Tariff (%)**                                          | 10  |
|                                                                | .00 |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+-----+
| **Statistical Tax (%)**                                        | 0   |
|                                                                | .50 |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+-----+
| **Export tax (%)**                                             | 10  |
|                                                                | .00 |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+-----+
| **Rebate (%)Cases containing between 2.5 Kg. and 20 Kg.**      | 5   |
|                                                                | .00 |
| **Cases containing 2.5 Kg. or less**                           |     |
|                                                                | 6   |
|                                                                | .00 |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+-----+
| ####### Within the Mercosur Area                               |     |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+-----+
| **Import tariff (%)**                                          | 0   |
|                                                                | .00 |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+-----+
| **Export tax (%)**                                             | 10  |
|                                                                | .00 |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+-----+
| **Rebate (%) Cases containing between 2.5 and 20 kg.**         | 5   |
|                                                                | .00 |
| **Cases containing 2.5 kg. or less**                           |     |
|                                                                | 6   |
|                                                                | .00 |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+-----+

+----------------------------------------------------------------+-----+
| ######### Table 5. Concentrated Apple Juice (2009.79)          |     |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+-----+
| ######### Outside the Mercosur Area                            |     |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+-----+
| **Import Tariff (%)**                                          | 14  |
|                                                                | .00 |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+-----+
| **Statistical Tax (%)**                                        | 0   |
|                                                                | .50 |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+-----+
| **Export tax (%)**                                             | 5   |
|                                                                | .00 |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+-----+
| **Rebate (%) Containers larger than 1 liter**                  | 5   |
|                                                                | .00 |
| **Containers of 1 liter or less**                              |     |
|                                                                | 6   |
|                                                                | .00 |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+-----+
| ####### Within the Mercosur Area                               |     |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+-----+
| **Import tariff (%)**                                          | 0   |
|                                                                | .00 |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+-----+
| **Export tax (%)**                                             | 5   |
|                                                                | .00 |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+-----+
| **Rebate (%) Containers larger than 1 liter**                  | 5   |
|                                                                | .00 |
| **Containers of 1 liter or less**                              |     |
|                                                                | 6   |
|                                                                | .00 |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+-----+

# Factors Affecting Industry Structure

## Strikes for Salary Adjustments and other Demands

Four unions linked to the fruit industry are demanding salary
adjustments through a generalized strike and road blockages. The
packinghouse workers wanted a 30 percent increase on their basic salary
of \$1420 (US\$473) and 20 percent more on productivity; ultimately they
got raises of 15 percent and 10 percent, respectively. Cold storage
workers wanted a raise from \$1480 (US\$493) to \$2500 (US\$833) per
month but they ultimately had a salary increase to \$1650 (US\$550). The
pickers want their monthly salary raised from \$806 (US\$266) to \$1000
(US\$333); so far, the pickers continue their negotiations.

The truckers also want have their salary adjusted and have also
threatened with strike. The industry is currently paralyzed even though
pears are ready to be picked. Farmers allege that with these salary
increases, the labor cost exceeds that of the 1990's and with this, the
total production cost would rise to the pre-devaluation times. Farmers
are also unhappy with the prices offered by the packers and do not want
to deliver their produce unless the packing sector ensures minimum
prices for their fruit. Up until Monday 01/16/2006, the packinghouses
were offering US\$0.12 per kilo of apple and US\$0.14 per kilo of pears.

## Phytosanitary Constraints

The good news for the Argentine fruit industry in the southern valley of
Rio Negro and Neuquen is that the United States has declared this
production area as free of fruit fly. Even though the exporters would
prefer to discontinue the pre-clearance program coordinated by the
Animal and Plant Inspection Service (APHIS) of the United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA), exporters will keep it for apples and
pears as in insurance for their shipments to the United States. One
important modification to the program will be the need for a
identification number which will assure that the fruit shipped to the
United States comes from the fruit free area and not from other
production areas in the country.

Brazil has agreed with Argentina on the continuation of the
pre-clearance program for coddling moth (*Cydia pomonella*) detection on
the production area. Rumors had alarmed the Argentine exporters on the
likely shift from the current inspection spot in the southern valleys to
the Argentine-Brazilian border. This, according to the Argentine
exporters would affect exports negatively, since if a shipment were
rejected due to phytosanitary reasons, the exporters would still have to
pay the transportation cost to the Brazilian border that is 2000 miles
away from the production area.

## Export Taxes

There is no hint from the Government of Argentina that this tax of 10
percent will be removed in the near future. With the production cost
increasing due to more demands from the unions and prices for fruit
going down in dollar terms, the fruit business appears to be facing
increasingly difficult times.

## Production Costs

According to sources in the industry the cost of production of one kilo
of apples is US\$0.15 while the cost of production of one kilogram of
pears is around US\$0.12, depending on different farming system and
yields.

## Prices

In CY 2005, wholesale domestic prices for apples matched those paid by
the export market. However, the quality of the fruit marketed internally
is by far lower than that of the fruit sent abroad. After the peso
devaluation, export prices in dollar terms were much higher than the
local ones.

However, over the years, relatively high inflation rates with a
relatively stable currency around three pesos per dollar, have eroded
the devaluation effect in terms of differential export prices. In
addition, fresh apple exports have a specific 10 percent tax on their
FOB price, which, according to the exporters, increases to 20 percent
for the just harvested fruit.

Though still above domestic wholesale prices, pear export prices
declined from 30 percent over domestic wholesale prices in CY 2003 to 13
percent over the latter prices in CY 2005.

Prices paid to the farmers are low and always dependent on the quality
of the fruit. Packers have offered a fix minimum price for apples of
US\$0.12 per kilo and US\$0.14 per kilo of pear. Also, the rejected
fruit volume agreed prior to harvest will not be higher than 10 percent.
CY 2006 processing sector prices will be US\$33 per MT of apples and
US\$20 for pears.

+----------+------+------+------+-------+------+------+------+------+
| **Apples |      |      |      |       |      |      |      |      |
| and      |      |      |      |       |      |      |      |      |
| Pears,   |      |      |      |       |      |      |      |      |
| Fresh**  |      |      |      |       |      |      |      |      |
|          |      |      |      |       |      |      |      |      |
| **       |      |      |      |       |      |      |      |      |
| Domestic |      |      |      |       |      |      |      |      |
| W        |      |      |      |       |      |      |      |      |
| holesale |      |      |      |       |      |      |      |      |
| Prices   |      |      |      |       |      |      |      |      |
| for all  |      |      |      |       |      |      |      |      |
| V        |      |      |      |       |      |      |      |      |
| arieties |      |      |      |       |      |      |      |      |
| (US\     |      |      |      |       |      |      |      |      |
| $/kg.)** |      |      |      |       |      |      |      |      |
+----------+------+------+------+-------+------+------+------+------+
|          | **20 |      | **20 |       | **20 |      | **20 |      |
|          | 02** |      | 03** |       | 04** |      | 05** |      |
+----------+------+------+------+-------+------+------+------+------+
|          | **Pe | *    | **Pe | **Ap  | **Pe | *    | **Pe | *    |
|          | ar** | *App | ar** | ple** | ar** | *App | ar** | *App |
|          |      | le** |      |       |      | le** |      | le** |
+----------+------+------+------+-------+------+------+------+------+
| **J      | 0.28 | 0.21 | 0.29 | 0.48  | 0.40 | 0.48 | 0.39 | 0.46 |
| anuary** |      |      |      |       |      |      |      |      |
+----------+------+------+------+-------+------+------+------+------+
| **Fe     | 0.20 | 0.20 | 0.25 | 0.43  | 0.31 | 0.41 | 0.57 | 0.69 |
| bruary** |      |      |      |       |      |      |      |      |
+----------+------+------+------+-------+------+------+------+------+
| *        | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.24 | 0.31  | 0.32 | 0.37 | 0.30 | 0.36 |
| *March** |      |      |      |       |      |      |      |      |
+----------+------+------+------+-------+------+------+------+------+
| *        | 0.19 | 0.16 | 0.27 | 0.30  | 0.39 | 0.36 | 0.32 | 0.33 |
| *April** |      |      |      |       |      |      |      |      |
+----------+------+------+------+-------+------+------+------+------+
| **May**  | 0.17 | 0.16 | 0.26 | 0.29  | 0.37 | 0.33 | 0.35 | 0.36 |
+----------+------+------+------+-------+------+------+------+------+
| **June** | 0.17 | 0.19 | 0.25 | 0.31  | 0.33 | 0.33 | 0.42 | 0.41 |
+----------+------+------+------+-------+------+------+------+------+
| **July** | 0.18 | 0.21 | 0.27 | 0.30  | 0.32 | 0.38 | 0.46 | 0.42 |
+----------+------+------+------+-------+------+------+------+------+
| **       | 0.21 | 0.26 | 0.29 | 0.30  | 0.37 | 0.40 | 0.49 | 0.41 |
| August** |      |      |      |       |      |      |      |      |
+----------+------+------+------+-------+------+------+------+------+
| **Sep    | 0.27 | 0.31 | 0.36 | 0.32  | 0.39 | 0.43 | 0.50 | 0.44 |
| tember** |      |      |      |       |      |      |      |      |
+----------+------+------+------+-------+------+------+------+------+
| **O      | 0.33 | 0.39 | 0.41 | 0.48  | 0.41 | 0.45 | 0.53 | 0.41 |
| ctober** |      |      |      |       |      |      |      |      |
+----------+------+------+------+-------+------+------+------+------+
| **No     | 0.35 | 0.36 | 0.43 | 0.43  | 0.47 | 0.50 | 0.47 | 0.50 |
| vember** |      |      |      |       |      |      |      |      |
+----------+------+------+------+-------+------+------+------+------+
| **De     | 0.30 | 0.44 | 0.68 | 0.49  | 0.52 | 0.50 | 0.58 | 0.48 |
| cember** |      |      |      |       |      |      |      |      |
+----------+------+------+------+-------+------+------+------+------+
| **Annual | 0.23 | 0.25 | 0.33 | 0.37  | 0.38 | 0.41 | 0.45 | 0.44 |
| a        |      |      |      |       |      |      |      |      |
| verage** |      |      |      |       |      |      |      |      |
+----------+------+------+------+-------+------+------+------+------+

Source: Buenos Aires Central Market
([www.mercadocentral.com.ar](http://www.mercadocentral.com.ar/))

+----------+--------------+---------------+--------------+-------------+
| *        |              |               |              |             |
| *Apples, |              |               |              |             |
| Fresh,   |              |               |              |             |
| Red      |              |               |              |             |
| D        |              |               |              |             |
| elicious |              |               |              |             |
| V        |              |               |              |             |
| ariety** |              |               |              |             |
|          |              |               |              |             |
| **       |              |               |              |             |
| Domestic |              |               |              |             |
| Retail   |              |               |              |             |
| Prices   |              |               |              |             |
| (US\     |              |               |              |             |
| $/Kg.)** |              |               |              |             |
+----------+--------------+---------------+--------------+-------------+
|          | **2002**     | **2003**      | **2004**     | **2005**    |
+----------+--------------+---------------+--------------+-------------+
| **J      | 0.63         | 0.78          | 0.85         | 0.84        |
| anuary** |              |               |              |             |
+----------+--------------+---------------+--------------+-------------+
| **Fe     | 0.58         | 0.68          | 0.82         | 0.77        |
| bruary** |              |               |              |             |
+----------+--------------+---------------+--------------+-------------+
| *        | 0.41         | 0.59          | 0.69         | 0.68        |
| *March** |              |               |              |             |
+----------+--------------+---------------+--------------+-------------+
| *        | 0.40         | 0.60          | 0.67         | 0.64        |
| *April** |              |               |              |             |
+----------+--------------+---------------+--------------+-------------+
| **May**  | 0.37         | 0.57          | 0.65         | 0.65        |
+----------+--------------+---------------+--------------+-------------+
| **June** | 0.37         | 0.58          | 0.66         | 0.66        |
+----------+--------------+---------------+--------------+-------------+
| **July** | 0.40         | 0.57          | 0.66         | 0.68        |
+----------+--------------+---------------+--------------+-------------+
| **       | 0.44         | 0.57          | 0.67         | 0.68        |
| August** |              |               |              |             |
+----------+--------------+---------------+--------------+-------------+
| **Sep    | 0.50         | 0.62          | 0.70         | 0.71        |
| tember** |              |               |              |             |
+----------+--------------+---------------+--------------+-------------+
| **O      | 0.58         | 0.70          | 0.76         | 0.70        |
| ctober** |              |               |              |             |
+----------+--------------+---------------+--------------+-------------+
| **No     | 0.62         | 0.73          | 0.77         | 0.78        |
| vember** |              |               |              |             |
+----------+--------------+---------------+--------------+-------------+
| **De     | 0.70         | 0.77          | 0.80         | 0.82        |
| cember** |              |               |              |             |
+----------+--------------+---------------+--------------+-------------+
| **Annual | 0.50         | 0.65          | 0.72         | 0.72        |
| A        |              |               |              |             |
| verage** |              |               |              |             |
+----------+--------------+---------------+--------------+-------------+

Source: The National Institute for Statistics (INDEC --
www.indec.gov.ar)

# Section II. Statistical Tables

+--------------------+-----+-----+----+------+------+------+-------+
| ####### PSD Table  |     |     |    |      |      |      |       |
+--------------------+-----+-----+----+------+------+------+-------+
| Country            | Arg |     |    |      |      |      |       |
|                    | ent |     |    |      |      |      |       |
|                    | ina |     |    |      |      |      |       |
+--------------------+-----+-----+----+------+------+------+-------+
| Commodity          | A   |     |    |      | (    |      |       |
|                    | ppl |     |    |      | HA)( |      |       |
|                    | es, |     |    |      | 1000 |      |       |
|                    | Fr  |     |    |      | TR   |      |       |
|                    | esh |     |    |      | EES) |      |       |
|                    |     |     |    |      | (MT) |      |       |
+--------------------+-----+-----+----+------+------+------+-------+
|                    | 2   | R   | 20 | Esti | 2005 | Fore | UOM   |
|                    | 003 | evi | 04 | mate |      | cast |       |
|                    |     | sed |    |      |      |      |       |
+--------------------+-----+-----+----+------+------+------+-------+
|                    | U   | P   | US | Post | USDA | Post |       |
|                    | SDA | ost | DA | Est  | Offi | Est  |       |
|                    | Of  | Est | Of | imat | cial | imat |       |
|                    | fic | ima | fi | e\[N | \[O  | e\[N |       |
|                    | ial | te\ | ci | ew\] | ld\] | ew\] |       |
|                    | \   | [Ne | al |      |      |      |       |
|                    | [Ol | w\] | \  |      |      |      |       |
|                    | d\] |     | [O |      |      |      |       |
|                    |     |     | ld |      |      |      |       |
|                    |     |     | \] |      |      |      |       |
+--------------------+-----+-----+----+------+------+------+-------+
| Market Year Begin  |     | 0   |    | 01/  |      | 01/  | MM    |
|                    |     | 1/2 |    | 2005 |      | 2006 | /YYYY |
|                    |     | 004 |    |      |      |      |       |
+--------------------+-----+-----+----+------+------+------+-------+
| Area Planted       | 51  | 51  | 51 | 51   | 0    | 35   | (HA)  |
+--------------------+-----+-----+----+------+------+------+-------+
| Area Harvested     | 50  | 50  | 50 | 50   | 0    | 30   | (HA)  |
+--------------------+-----+-----+----+------+------+------+-------+
| Bearing Trees      | 21  | 21  | 2  | 2    | 0    | 2    | (1000 |
|                    | 000 | 000 | 10 | 1000 |      | 1000 | T     |
|                    |     |     | 00 |      |      |      | REES) |
+--------------------+-----+-----+----+------+------+------+-------+
| Non-Bearing Trees  | 4   | 4   | 40 | 4000 | 0    | 3000 | (1000 |
|                    | 000 | 000 | 00 |      |      |      | T     |
|                    |     |     |    |      |      |      | REES) |
+--------------------+-----+-----+----+------+------+------+-------+
| Total Trees        | 25  | 25  | 2  | 2    | 0    | 2    | (1000 |
|                    | 000 | 000 | 50 | 5000 |      | 4000 | T     |
|                    |     |     | 00 |      |      |      | REES) |
+--------------------+-----+-----+----+------+------+------+-------+
| Commercial         | 900 | 900 | 1  | 120  | 0    | 121  | (MT)  |
| Production         | 000 | 000 | 30 | 0000 |      | 0000 |       |
|                    |     |     | 00 |      |      |      |       |
|                    |     |     | 00 |      |      |      |       |
+--------------------+-----+-----+----+------+------+------+-------+
| Non-Comm.          | 0   | 0   | 0  | 0    | 0    | 0    | (MT)  |
| Production         |     |     |    |      |      |      |       |
+--------------------+-----+-----+----+------+------+------+-------+
| TOTAL Production   | 900 | 900 | 1  | 120  | 0    | 121  | (MT)  |
|                    | 000 | 000 | 30 | 0000 |      | 0000 |       |
|                    |     |     | 00 |      |      |      |       |
|                    |     |     | 00 |      |      |      |       |
+--------------------+-----+-----+----+------+------+------+-------+
| TOTAL Imports      | 7   | 300 | 20 | 50   | 0    | 100  | (MT)  |
+--------------------+-----+-----+----+------+------+------+-------+
| TOTAL SUPPLY       | 900 | 900 | 1  | 120  | 0    | 121  | (MT)  |
|                    | 007 | 300 | 30 | 0050 |      | 0100 |       |
|                    |     |     | 00 |      |      |      |       |
|                    |     |     | 20 |      |      |      |       |
+--------------------+-----+-----+----+------+------+------+-------+
| Domestic Fresh     | 244 | 244 | 35 | 25   | 0    | 26   | (MT)  |
| Consumption        | 007 | 300 | 00 | 0050 |      | 0100 |       |
|                    |     |     | 20 |      |      |      |       |
+--------------------+-----+-----+----+------+------+------+-------+
| Exports, Fresh     | 206 | 206 | 25 | 27   | 0    | 23   | (MT)  |
| Only               | 000 | 000 | 00 | 0000 |      | 0000 |       |
|                    |     |     | 00 |      |      |      |       |
+--------------------+-----+-----+----+------+------+------+-------+
| For Processing     | 450 | 450 | 70 | 68   | 0    | 72   | (MT)  |
|                    | 000 | 000 | 00 | 0000 |      | 0000 |       |
|                    |     |     | 00 |      |      |      |       |
+--------------------+-----+-----+----+------+------+------+-------+
| Withdrawal From    | 0   | 0   | 0  | 0    | 0    | 0    | (MT)  |
| Market             |     |     |    |      |      |      |       |
+--------------------+-----+-----+----+------+------+------+-------+
| TOTAL UTILIZATION  | 900 | 900 | 1  | 120  | 0    | 121  | (MT)  |
|                    | 007 | 300 | 30 | 0050 |      | 0100 |       |
|                    |     |     | 00 |      |      |      |       |
|                    |     |     | 20 |      |      |      |       |
+--------------------+-----+-----+----+------+------+------+-------+

+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| #####           |                 |                 |                 |
| ## Prices Table |                 |                 |                 |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Country         | Argentina       |                 |                 |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Commodity       | Apples, Fresh   |                 |                 |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Prices in       | US\$ FOB        | per uom         | MT              |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
|                 |                 |                 |                 |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Year            | 2004            | 2005            | \% Change       |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Jan             | 470             | 490             | 4%              |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Feb             | 480             | 510             | 6%              |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Mar             | 430             | 460             | 7%              |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Apr             | 440             | 450             | 2%              |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| May             | 430             | 440             | 2%              |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Jun             | 430             | 430             | 0%              |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Jul             | 410             | 390             | -5%             |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Aug             | 380             | 380             | 0%              |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Sep             | 410             | 400             | -2%             |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Oct             | 420             | 430             | 2%              |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Nov             | 440             | 460             | 5%              |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Dec             | 460             |                 | -100%           |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Exchange Rate   | 3               | Local           |                 |
|                 |                 | Currency/US \$  |                 |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Date of Quote   | 1/12/2006       | MM/DD/YYYY      |                 |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+

+--------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+------+------+-------+
| ####### PSD Table  |     |     |     |     |      |      |       |
+--------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+------+------+-------+
| Country            | Arg |     |     |     |      |      |       |
|                    | ent |     |     |     |      |      |       |
|                    | ina |     |     |     |      |      |       |
+--------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+------+------+-------+
| Commodity          | Pea |     |     |     | (    |      |       |
|                    | rs, |     |     |     | HA)( |      |       |
|                    | Fr  |     |     |     | 1000 |      |       |
|                    | esh |     |     |     | TR   |      |       |
|                    |     |     |     |     | EES) |      |       |
|                    |     |     |     |     | (MT) |      |       |
+--------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+------+------+-------+
|                    | 2   | R   | 2   | Es  | 2005 | Fore | UOM   |
|                    | 003 | evi | 004 | tim |      | cast |       |
|                    |     | sed |     | ate |      |      |       |
+--------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+------+------+-------+
|                    | U   | P   | U   | P   | USDA | Post |       |
|                    | SDA | ost | SDA | ost | Offi | Est  |       |
|                    | Of  | Est | Of  | Est | cial | imat |       |
|                    | fic | ima | fic | ima | \[O  | e\[N |       |
|                    | ial | te\ | ial | te\ | ld\] | ew\] |       |
|                    | \   | [Ne | \   | [Ne |      |      |       |
|                    | [Ol | w\] | [Ol | w\] |      |      |       |
|                    | d\] |     | d\] |     |      |      |       |
+--------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+------+------+-------+
| Market Year Begin  |     | 0   |     | 0   |      | 01/  | MM    |
|                    |     | 1/2 |     | 1/2 |      | 2006 | /YYYY |
|                    |     | 004 |     | 005 |      |      |       |
+--------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+------+------+-------+
| Area Planted       | 17  | 17  | 17  | 17  | 0    | 26   | (HA)  |
+--------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+------+------+-------+
| Area Harvested     | 17  | 17  | 17  | 17  | 0    | 22   | (HA)  |
+--------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+------+------+-------+
| Bearing Trees      | 9   | 9   | 9   | 9   | 0    | 2    | (1000 |
|                    | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |      | 2000 | T     |
|                    |     |     |     |     |      |      | REES) |
+--------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+------+------+-------+
| Non-Bearing Trees  | 1   | 1   | 1   | 1   | 0    | 4000 | (1000 |
|                    | 000 | 000 | 000 | 000 |      |      | T     |
|                    |     |     |     |     |      |      | REES) |
+--------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+------+------+-------+
| Total Trees        | 10  | 10  | 10  | 10  | 0    | 2    | (1000 |
|                    | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |      | 6000 | T     |
|                    |     |     |     |     |      |      | REES) |
+--------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+------+------+-------+
| Commercial         | 525 | 525 | 640 | 640 | 0    | 71   | (MT)  |
| Production         | 000 | 000 | 000 | 000 |      | 0000 |       |
+--------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+------+------+-------+
| Non-Comm.          | 0   | 0   | 0   | 0   | 0    | 0    | (MT)  |
| Production         |     |     |     |     |      |      |       |
+--------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+------+------+-------+
| TOTAL Production   | 525 | 525 | 640 | 640 | 0    | 71   | (MT)  |
|                    | 000 | 000 | 000 | 000 |      | 0000 |       |
+--------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+------+------+-------+
| TOTAL Imports      | 0   | 0   | 0   | 0   | 0    | 0    | (MT)  |
+--------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+------+------+-------+
| TOTAL SUPPLY       | 525 | 525 | 640 | 640 | 0    | 71   | (MT)  |
|                    | 000 | 000 | 000 | 000 |      | 0000 |       |
+--------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+------+------+-------+
| Domestic Fresh     | 84  | 84  | 90  | 80  | 0    | 10   | (MT)  |
| Consumption        | 000 | 000 | 000 | 000 |      | 0000 |       |
+--------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+------+------+-------+
| Exports, Fresh     | 321 | 321 | 430 | 440 | 0    | 43   | (MT)  |
| Only               | 000 | 000 | 000 | 000 |      | 0000 |       |
+--------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+------+------+-------+
| For Processing     | 120 | 120 | 120 | 120 | 0    | 18   | (MT)  |
|                    | 000 | 000 | 000 | 000 |      | 0000 |       |
+--------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+------+------+-------+
| Withdrawal From    | 0   | 0   | 0   | 0   | 0    | 0    | (MT)  |
| Market             |     |     |     |     |      |      |       |
+--------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+------+------+-------+
| TOTAL UTILIZATION  | 525 | 525 | 640 | 640 | 0    | 71   | (MT)  |
|                    | 000 | 000 | 000 | 000 |      | 0000 |       |
+--------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+------+------+-------+

+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| #####           |                 |                 |                 |
| ## Prices Table |                 |                 |                 |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Country         | Argentina       |                 |                 |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Commodity       | Pears, Fresh    |                 |                 |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Prices in       | US\$ FOB        | per uom         | MT              |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Year            | 2004            | 2005            | \% Change       |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Jan             | 480             | 490             | 2%              |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Feb             | 480             | 500             | 4%              |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Mar             | 480             | 400             | -17%            |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Apr             | 470             | 480             | 2%              |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| May             | 460             | 480             | 4%              |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Jun             | 470             | 490             | 4%              |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Jul             | 480             | 560             | 17%             |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Aug             | 470             | 520             | 11%             |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Sep             | 510             | 530             | 4%              |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Oct             | 550             | 590             | 7%              |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Nov             | 620             | 590             | -5%             |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Dec             | 600             |                 | -100%           |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Exchange Rate   | 3               | Local           |                 |
|                 |                 | Currency/US \$  |                 |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Date of Quote   | 1/12/2006       | MM/DD/YYYY      |                 |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+

+------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
| #                |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
| ###### PSD Table |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
+------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Country          | A    |      |      |      |      |      |      |
|                  | rgen |      |      |      |      |      |      |
|                  | tina |      |      |      |      |      |      |
+------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Commodity        | A    |      |      |      | (MT) |      |      |
|                  | pple |      |      |      |      |      |      |
|                  | Ju   |      |      |      |      |      |      |
|                  | ice, |      |      |      |      |      |      |
|                  | Conc |      |      |      |      |      |      |
|                  | entr |      |      |      |      |      |      |
|                  | ated |      |      |      |      |      |      |
+------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
|                  | 2003 | Rev  | 2004 | Esti | 2005 | Fore | UOM  |
|                  |      | ised |      | mate |      | cast |      |
+------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
|                  | USDA | Post | USDA | Post | USDA | Post |      |
|                  | Offi | Est  | Offi | Est  | Offi | Est  |      |
|                  | cial | imat | cial | imat | cial | imat |      |
|                  | \[O  | e\[N | \[O  | e\[N | \[O  | e\[N |      |
|                  | ld\] | ew\] | ld\] | ew\] | ld\] | ew\] |      |
+------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Market Year      |      | 01/  |      | 01/  |      | 01/  | MM/  |
| Begin            |      | 2004 |      | 2005 |      | 2006 | YYYY |
+------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Deliv. To        | 45   | 45   | 70   | 70   | 0    | 0    | (MT) |
| Processors       | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 |      |      |      |
+------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Beginning Stocks | 1    | 1    | 1    | 1    | 1    | 1    | (MT) |
|                  | 0233 | 0233 | 3833 | 3833 | 3433 | 5333 |      |
+------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Production       | 5    | 5    | 6    | 6    | 0    | 6    | (MT) |
|                  | 0000 | 0000 | 9000 | 5000 |      | 6000 |      |
+------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Imports          | 600  | 600  | 600  | 500  | 0    | 500  | (MT) |
+------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
| TOTAL SUPPLY     | 6    | 6    | 8    | 7    | 1    | 8    | (MT) |
|                  | 0833 | 0833 | 3433 | 9333 | 3433 | 1833 |      |
+------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Exports          | 4    | 4    | 6    | 6    | 0    | 6    | (MT) |
|                  | 5000 | 5000 | 7000 | 0000 |      | 5000 |      |
+------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Domestic         | 2000 | 2000 | 3000 | 4000 | 0    | 3000 | (MT) |
| Consumption      |      |      |      |      |      |      |      |
+------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Ending Stocks    | 1    | 1    | 1    | 1    | 0    | 1    | (MT) |
|                  | 3833 | 3833 | 3433 | 5333 |      | 3833 |      |
+------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
| TOTAL            | 6    | 6    | 8    | 7    | 0    | 8    | (MT) |
| DISTRIBUTION     | 0833 | 0833 | 3433 | 9333 |      | 1833 |      |
+------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+

+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| #####           |                 |                 |                 |
| ## Prices Table |                 |                 |                 |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Country         | Argentina       |                 |                 |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Commodity       | Apple Juice,    |                 |                 |
|                 | Concentrated    |                 |                 |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Prices in       | US\$ FOB        | per uom         | MT              |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Year            | 2004            | 2005            | \% Change       |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Jan             | 770             | 1010            | 31%             |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Feb             | 820             | 830             | 1%              |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Mar             | 820             | 950             | 16%             |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Apr             | 980             | 430             | -56%            |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| May             | 980             | 720             | -27%            |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Jun             | 980             | 700             | -29%            |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Jul             | 970             | 740             | -24%            |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Aug             | 870             | 700             | -20%            |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Sep             | 980             | 680             | -31%            |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Oct             | 910             | 690             | -24%            |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Nov             | 970             | 710             | -27%            |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Dec             | 860             | 0               | -100%           |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Exchange Rate   | 3               | Local           |                 |
|                 |                 | Currency/US \$  |                 |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Date of Quote   | 1/12/2006       | MM/DD/YYYY      |                 |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+