Prunes (Dried Plums)

Chilean, Californian, Agen & Argentine prunes by count per pound

Prunes (HS 0813.20) are dried plums of the d'Ente type, and Chile is the largest exporter. UN Comtrade 2024 export declarations total USD 629 million across reporters: Chile USD 255 million and 84,678 MT (41% of the value), the USA USD 115 million and 24,484 MT, France USD 52 million and 15,136 MT, Argentina USD 41 million and 28,979 MT, and Uzbekistan USD 39 million and 27,662 MT. The origins give a year-round supply calendar. Chile hand-harvests from mid-February to mid-April; California and France harvest from mid-August, and in France about three quarters of the crop is picked in Lot-et-Garonne between mid-August and mid-September, then dried in ovens at 75-80°C for 18-24 hours. Pruneaux d'Agen is a Protected Geographical Indication since 2002: only prunes from Prune d'Ente orchards in the defined zone, dried, processed and packed there, may use the name.

Prunes are sold by count per pound, and the count sizes follow the USDA standard for dried prunes: large sizes such as 20/30, 30/40 and 40/50 prunes per pound, and smaller sizes such as 50/60 and 60/70 down to 120 and over per pound. They come unpitted or pitted, natural-moisture or rehydrated and pasteurised. UNECE standard DDP-07 caps moisture at 35% for untreated prunes; prunes above 35% must be treated with preservatives or otherwise preserved and labelled. Large pitted prunes go to retail and gifting, medium sizes to retail and foodservice, and small sizes, pieces, paste and juice concentrate to bakery, cereal, baby food and beverage. In the EU, Regulation (EU) 2023/915 sets aflatoxin at 2.0 µg/kg B1 and 4.0 µg/kg total for dried fruit placed on the market and ochratoxin A at 2.0 µg/kg for dried fruit other than vine fruit and figs. CBIL is a commodity brokerage company and brokers prunes from Chilean, Californian, French and Argentine packers against a certificate of analysis for count, moisture, pit fragments for pitted product, preservative where used, aflatoxin, ochratoxin A and microbiology, a phytosanitary certificate and a certificate of origin (and IGP documentation for Pruneaux d'Agen), in lined cartons, container-load, on FOB, CFR and CIF terms. Send the origin, count, pitted or unpitted, moisture and treatment, volume and discharge port, and the enquiry is screened and worked against it.

Excluded origins are not offered, including product re-exported, blended or re-processed through a third country. Every lot moves with a certificate of origin naming the producing plant, mine or grower country, and nothing is quoted before the seller and loading point are known.