Raisins: With provisional prospects looking increasingly optimistic for both optimal Californian and Turkish new crops from August, raisin pricing over the next four to five months will be largely determined in California, by their ability or willingness to compete with Turkey.

Sultanas: Recent weeks’ sales are some 30% lower than for the same period last year. Turkey is becoming increasingly aware that, despite the frost, they could very easily produce a new crop of well over 300,000 tonnes.

Currants: With stiff competition from lower-priced sultanas and raisins, and while Greek quality has also been unpredictable, it is probably safe to say that currants are losing ground, reputation and market share with each passing season.

Coconut: Prices have continued to firm. Reports that the major processors across both the Philippines and Indonesia are now fully booked on production this side of July mean that UK and European stock levels are rapidly depleting set against very limited replacement pricing.

Apricots: The series of frosts in Malatya, Turkey, are reported to have been pretty disastrous. Three separate frosts in "apricot country", appear to have hit the crop extremely hard, with reports varying from 50% to 80% damage. Predictably, prices have shot up dramatically.

l Based on information provided by ingredients supplier RM Curtis