"Great start to Dutch strawberry season"

At Veiling Zaltbommel the month of May is usually the beginning of the peak, in which the Dutch strawberry season had a very good start. "Due to the calm spring weather the supply of the greenhouse strawberries has been very gradual and supply and demand were nicely balanced. We can put good quality strawberries on the market for good prices," says head of Marketing & Sales Boudewijn van der Wal. Veiling Zaltbommel serves domestic retailers, wholesalers and exporters.

"Now the supply of the greenhouse strawberries is already past its peak and we haven't really had big booms. Let's hope it keeps up. Now the tunnel season is coming and the question is what the market balance will be. The strawberries are being sold for around 2.50 Euro and that's a good price. The demand in the market is good. A side effect is that with these good prices certain markets drop out," continues Boudewijn. "The consumption of the entire berry segment is in the lift. We have to make sure that the production grows with the demand in a controlled manner, but there are enough chances."

Kwanza
In 2012 Veiling Zaltbommel introduced the raspberry variety Kwanza. Now around 90% of the supply of raspberries supplied to the auction are of this variety. "The supply of Kwanza in greenhouses has been gradual and the product is put in the market for good prices. Kwanza is also offered in the southern countries, but growing Kwanza isn't an easy task. Our growers know how to grow the variety well due to a good exchange of knowledge and we supply a definitive product."

For more information:
Boudewijn van der Wal
Veiling Zaltbommel
Stationsweg 28
5301 KH Zaltbommel
Tel.: 0031 (0) 418 57 99 11
Fax: 0031 (0) 418) 57 92 13
www.veiling-zaltbommel.nl