Special
Greenhouse Vegetables
Greenhouse vegetable season has started
Can the vegetable greenhouse chain bear the increasing costs? Who will carry the increasing costs? That is what everyone in the greenhouse vegetable market wants to know. At the start of this new season, no one really had an answer, although, for now, growers seem to be saddled with it. What is clear is that this situation will not last very long. Will the sector take a united stand? Who knows.
C
ucumbers kicked off the Dutch greenhouse vegetable season in late January. Other products like aubergine, courgette, bell peppers, and tomatoes followed. Those who don’t know better would say nothing is amiss in this sector. However, behind the messages of crisp, healthy produce lurks a deeply concerned sector. This year, more than ever. The distress call that four out of ten Dutch growers are in dire financial straits was finally heard in late March. Belgian growers are in the same boat, as are those in many other countries. The sector has been in trouble since the autumn. The first growers ran into problems as soon as energy prices started to rise. They stopped crops early and greenhouses remained empty (for longer). Some gave up altogether or sold their greenhouses to (ornamental plant) colleagues. This winter, only about half the usual tomato volumes were grown under 36
AGF Primeur • Gewächshausgemüse • 2022
Growers who have produce early in the season can usually count on nice prices while there is still a limited supply. Greenhouse-grown produce is in demand at this time. That also applies to export countries, where little or no own product is available early in the season. While, with much care lights. If not due to empty greenhouses, and skill, heated, lit greenhouse cultivathen because of more economical light- tion is already possible. This year, these ing and heating. Cucumber production, growers were forced to enter the market now increasingly a year-round crop, also later and missed out on that advantage. declined significantly. The same goes for traders. For them, the TOO PRICEY lower volumes at the start of the season In mid-April, these repercussions are still have complicated exporting. Day-traders evident in the market. Many growers are are particularly hard-hit, as told at the still struggling to farm differently, out of recently held international horticultural necessity. That is decreasing production. trade show, Fruit Logistica. Less product Because that which you do not put in, you means less to send overseas. This is even do not get out. The new greenhouse veg- before considering transport costs, which etable season began more slowly, with have also risen sharply, that still need to higher prices. In early April, tomatoes be added. were being sold at never-before-seen kg prices. Prices are far above the averages of In the weeks leading up to Easter, cucumrecent years, though costs, too, are much ber, aubergine, vine tomato, and other higher. In March, Dutch tomatoes sold for prices rose sharply. That, while the prices, twice as much as a year earlier. That just especially for vine tomatoes, were already goes to show how unusual the current high. That did not sit well with day tradmarket situation is. ers. High prices are good, but, according to the market, the levels at which tomatoes
