The market is facing problems on all continents. In Europe, supply shortages are keeping prices high. In North America, warmth has accelerated ripening, boosting early volumes. In South Africa, rains have adjusted production forecasts. Despite stable demand, berry quality and supply spikes are weighing on the market balance, writes EastFruit with reference to Agf.nl.
The Netherlands: a market of contrasts
The season started with a severe shortage of supplies from Morocco and Spain in March, causing prices to soar to €17-18/kg. By April, Moroccan exports had picked up, while Spain also increased volumes, which brought prices down sharply. Now supplies from the south of Morocco are coming to an end, while in the north of the country and in Spain the peak of harvesting is underway – prices are falling again. To stabilize the market, retailers are planning promotions. An additional problem remains logistical delays at the Spanish border in Algeciras, spoiling the quality of berries.
Germany: shortage of imports – rising prices
Lower supplies from Spain and Portugal on the back of strong demand pushed prices up again (in Austria, raspberries cost around €15.92-15.96/kg). Local growers in the Ortenois region are just getting ready to start harvesting from their greenhouses.
France: dependence on imports
The French season starts in favorable conditions: due to quality problems with Moroccan berries and the high cost of Portuguese raspberries, local raspberries look competitive. However, the industry is 85% dependent on imports. The main problem is that consumption in France peaks in May, when imports are highest, rather than during the peak of the local harvest. In 2026, the harvest is expected to be lower than last year due to reduced plantings. The area under raspberries is growing slowly as the crop requires huge labor inputs.
Spain: bad weather and instability
The 2025/2026 season is characterized by unstable volumes due to bad weather, but purchase prices remain high. Despite weak sales in March and April, the May peak brings good yields and stable prices above past averages.
Italy: shortage of hands – shrinking plantations
Prices are high, supply is limited. In Sicily, the season ended with good quality and yields. However, in Southern Italy farmers are abandoning raspberries en masse: due to the need to pick the berries twice a day, the labor shortage has become critical. Producer prices have been above €15/kg all season.
Morocco: storms and labor shortages
Due to winter storms and floods in the north of the country, the harvest will drop by 30-40% in the second half of the season. The start of the second harvest coincided with the Eid al-Adha holidays, which caused a shortage of pickers. At the same time, the first part of the season (until the end of March) was successful: exports of fresh berries decreased by only 2% (to 44.3 thousand tons), and frozen berries – increased by 27% (to 10 thousand tons). Due to congestion at the port of Algeciras, exporters are increasingly sending berries for freezing to avoid quality losses.
North America: an early and abundant harvest
In California (Watsonville), peak picking is expected in the coming weeks, with the season running through October. In Baja California (Mexico), the season is ending early due to the heat wave, and in Central Mexico, harvest will continue through mid-June. Overall, volumes are higher this year and have come to market earlier than usual due to the warm weather. Demand is growing and consumers are expecting an oversupply in the summer.
South Africa: rains confuse plans
Heavy rains in the Southern Cape are threatening production. Nevertheless, South African exporters were able to strengthen their position on the world market this season, as bad weather in Morocco (the main competitor) weakened the position of North African suppliers. South African exports for the 2025/2026 season totaled 1,181 tons. The main destinations are the Middle East (75%) and the UK (25%). Domestically, raspberries cost about €5/kg at the Johannesburg market.
