“We have managed to keep our prices at certain levels”
Ziya Sizgin can offer a wide range of Turkish products all year round, such as different varieties of hot peppers, peppers, but also pomegranates, quinces, tomatoes, aubergines, courgettes and mini cucumbers. The UvaFruit customer base is represented by several wholesale market operators in Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and France, which are supplied on a weekly basis.
Currently, the company’s range also includes citrus fruits such as Satsumas and different varieties of mandarins, such as Nadarcott. Since citrus fruits, especially Spanish and Moroccan ones, are dominating the market, Sizgin is buying rather little quantity. “Quality can be assessed in first and second class. We are keeping prices at certain levels, apart from a minimal component of success that raises the price by about 5-7%,” says Sizgin.
The high release rate of the Turkish lira has caused, among other things, a sharp increase in the costs of packaging materials, but also of transport costs. “The high emissions in Turkey have also pushed the cost of living up to some extent. As a result, the costs of packaging materials have risen globally,” Sizgin notes. “The problems we have here in Austria are also found in Turkey. The world is now very interconnected.”
Sizgin thinks the mood on the large-scale agricultural market in Vienna has improved since the previous year. As for its business, however, the winter months have been quite positive, as the company does not depend exclusively on the Vienna wholesale market. “As we operate internationally, we are consequently also more flexible. We supply major international customers through our main partner in Turkey, Uvafruit YAS SEBZE MEYVE.”
Sizgin thinks that, in addition to rising costs, enormous competition in the market and high price pressure make working on the wholesale market more difficult every year. “However, to survive in that wholesale business, on the one hand, one would have to try to keep fixed costs as low as possible, and on the other hand, one would also have to find new sales markets and promote new products.”
Greater demand for organic and regional products
The demand for organic and regional products is also increasing in Austria. “Germany and Austria are quite similar in this. However, the purchasing power is decreasing, which is why these products are only suitable for a certain target group. But not all consumers appreciate these products.” In the future, the company would like to include more Spanish products in its range, such as herbs.
For more information:
Ziya Sizgin
UvaFruit Handels GmbH
Laxenburgerstraße 367 / Top 174
A-1230 Vienna – Austria
+431 615 07 47
[email protected]
grapefruit.at