The harvest of Swiss strawberries has started. The strawberries grown in tunnels have been harvested since the beginning of May, and at the end of the month the first open field strawberries should be ripe, Josef Christen says of the Schweizer Obstverband (Swiss Fruit Union). The prices have remained at the same level as last year for the farmers. The prices in the retail are stable too, at the Coop and Migros a punnet with strawberries costs the same as last year.
What has changed is the price of imported strawberries, from Spain and other countries. "Imported strawberries are more favourable priced than in the previous year due to the stronger Swiss franc," said the Migros spokeswoman Monika Weibel.
Last year Swiss strawberries were three times more expensive on average than the imported, and the price difference could be more than four times this year.
1.49 CHF for imported strawberries
Two examples: 500 gram of imported strawberries are currently sold at Lidl for 1.49 CHF. Next week Swiss strawberries will be available at the discounter. But consumers who buy locally grown strawberries on offer at Coop, pay 3.30 CHF for 250 grams.
Migros’s imported strawberries currently cost between 2.50 and 2.90 CHF per 500 grams. Migros Swiss strawberries are only available in extra quality and cost between 4.90 and 5.60 CHF per 250 grams. The difference is almost four times more expensive.
The Swiss want Swiss strawberries
Nevertheless, the Swiss consumer remain true to the domestic strawberry as shown by the stable prices. Mostly for quality reasons, says Christen of the fruit-growing association. Lidl Switzerland also claims that they do have to take fruit and vegetables from Switzerland of the shelves. "We are committed to our Swiss producers and by the convenience and freshness of the logistics," says spokesperson Corina Milz.
Source: www.20min.ch by Isabel Strassheim