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Dr. Hans-Christoph Behr, fruit and vegetable expert at Agrarmarkt Informations-Gesellschaft mbH:
“Greenhouse produce sales will still increase, but will not displace imports” For more than 30 years, Dr. Hans-Christoph Behr has worked in the fruit and vegetable industry as an expert and consultant. He is a long-time employee of Agrarmarkt Informations-Gesellschaft mbH (AMI). Among other things, Behr spoke with us about the consequences of the current rising costs for the industry, the development of greenhouse production in Germany, and other trends he is observing. GREENHOUSE VEGETABLES IN In the case of peppers, the proporCONSEQUENCES OF RISING COSTS GERMANY tion produced in Germany is around 3-4%, According to Behr, rising freight, fuel, In view of the climate crisis and other rising to a maximum of 6-7%. Those are energy, and other costs are not yet reflectweather- as well as climate-related cir- huge growth rates then, but still low by ed in the fruit and vegetable sector. “If cumstances, the need for protected culti- overall comparison.” we look at, say, the first quarter of 2022, vation is growing in Germany. According taking into account consumer prices in to Behr, it is primarily fruit vegetables that Although the greenhouse share would not particular, we see that fruit has not necare still grown in greenhouses. “The fruit overtake the outdoor share in the vegeta- essarily become more expensive, but in vegetables mainly concern cucumbers, ble sector, he said, a higher trend toward some cases even cheaper than in the pretomatoes and peppers. There is certainly greenhouse cultivation is already emerg- vious year. It’s true that cost increases can still a lot of room for improvement in this ing for individual crops such as soft fruits. definitely be seen, but these are long-term area. But there is definitely a lot of interest “Especially with products such as rasp- consequences that do not yet affect the on the part of food retailers to buy region- berries or strawberries, I definitely see a current season,” Behr says. al greenhouse produce because there are larger potential. This is partly because it only small quantities of these.” is difficult to harvest these products with- AVAILABILITY, NOT COST, IS THE out rain protection, especially during the DECISIVE FACTOR With regard to the prices for tomatoes, summer rains. If a strawberry, raspberry, For example, he says, the apples that were there is also a higher price difference or blackberry gets wet, there will be diffi- sold most recently were financed with the between the local product and the supply culties regarding its shelf life. That is why costs for tree care, plant protection, and from abroad, because more is currently growers shift to protected cultivation. harvesting, in other words, the wages paid for the product from Germany. How- Regarding raspberries, a larger amount and costs from the previous year. “Wages ever, this is not the case for cucumbers already comes from tunnels. For straw- should certainly have already increased, and peppers, he said. “Sales figures will berries, the number is already over 20%. but not immeasurably. Ultimately, it’s also certainly still increase, but not so much But for lettuce or cauliflower I don’t see a question of how much produce is availthat they displace imports. That’s why we any protected cultivation coming up. It’s able. After all, this year’s European apple haven’t seen a drop in imports, because too easy to get these products from Brit- harvest has been plentiful, particularly greenhouse shares are still relatively low. tany or Spain.” in Poland. As a result, we can see that the
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