The Europeans called it a scandal, the New Zealanders declared it a disaster. Whatever your point of view, last year was one to forget for the Southern Hemisphere country's apple exporters.IN a nutshell, the latest New Zealand apple season in Europe was a disaster; the worst since 1981, say some. From beginningto end, New Zealand fruit battled for shelf space with competingsources, only to finish late in the deal leaving grower/shippers financially bruised and unsure of their future. An overhang of fruit from both hemispheres meant the ED market never cleared in time for new-season crops. New Zealand apples arrived to find last winter's apples still on the shelves. European producers, meanwhile, lost their first six weeks' sales as Southern Hemisphere distributors offloaded the last of their volumes. By late September, some apples were selling for less than EUR 0.85-1.70 per box in parts of Europe, a staggering Eur 4.25-5.10 below the average freight cost, accordingto one shipper.
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