Pine nuts: There have been no improvements since the last report. Supply of unsold stock from China appears to be dwindling to near zero and any offers emerging are from re-sellers who are offering sporadic containers sourced, presumably, from sellers who are defaulting on earlier, lower-priced contracts. There have been some sporadic offers of Pakistani pine nuts at slightly cheaper levels although the size, shape and flavour characteristics are no like-for-like match for Chinese. With the new crop likely to be small, the concern is that the high pricing might extend into the New Year.
Pumpkin seeds: These are seeing a similar scenario to pine nuts. China, as the dominant origin, has a significantly reduced supply this year and demand for this seed is strong from a variety of core destinations. It looks like supply will struggle to meet demand over the second half of the year. We would recommend that buyers cover their requirements sooner rather than later.
Sunflower seeds: Prices are being dragged up by general strength across the seeds sector. Demand from the oils category is weaker and, despite there being no major supply issues at origin, sunflower prices are rising, against expectations. Short- to medium-term cover is recommended.
l Based on information provided by ingredients supplier RM Curtis
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