Winners and losers Bananas, citrus fruits and apples – traditionally the fresh fruit trade’s market leaders – are increasingly facing competition from the premium fruit segment. Thus for example, according to Cindy van Rijswick, an analyst at Rabobank in the Netherlands, a sharp rise in demand for avocados and berries in the US has led to neighbouring Mexico rapidly expanding its areas for cultivating these crops. Together with Peru, it dominates the global avocado market. The Andean state of Peru has in turn doubled its grape and blueberry exports over the past five years, with Europe and the US its main customers. Market experts predict that the global area for blueberry cultivation will continue to expand. In addition to Peru and Mexico, countries such as Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Egypt and South Africa are now also positioning themselves in the market. In future, this could put traditional suppliers such as Morocco and Poland under pressure, says Mike Knowles, publisher of t...