Retail demand remains buoyant and as restrictions ease further on 29 June and restaurants can re-open, growers are reminded to supply the peeling market where possible. There is a shortage of good-quality packing material and growers with quality stock can command a premium. Demand for early varieties remains very high and it will be two weeks before major volumes of Queens are available.

In the UK it is becoming increasingly difficult to move lower-quality stock as many stakeholders cherry-pick top-quality supplies, as the end of the 2019 season approaches. This prolonged old-crop presence could continue to add pressure to the early market.

Once again, rainfall across Europe in the past week was welcomed. There has been 12mm to 35mm of rain across central and northern Europe this week, with some isolated outbreaks of 50mm to 70mm. Not everyone has had rain and some areas including northern Holland and parts of eastern England remain very dry. As restrictions continue to ease, processing factories are starting to increase production and activity is now put at 70% to 100%.