Switzerland: Hotter July makes vegetable prices rise
If one compares this year’s July’s vegetable prices in Swiss retail to the average vegetable price in July of the last four years, then it becomes clear that the hot and dry weather and the accompanying impairments in vegetable cultivation lead to higher prices. At 5.99 CHF/kg, broccoli cost 32% more than it cost on average in the last four years in July. Whereas the domestic supply was 9% smaller than in the reference period, with 779 tonnes.
Below chart in German:
Clear price increases are also registered with leek (green) (+20%; 6.11 CHF/kg), cauliflower (+19%; 4.43 CHF/kg), tomatoes (round) (+17%; 4.46 CHF/kg) and bush beans (+9%; 8.15 CHF/kg). Whereas the Swiss production of leek was in accordance with that of last year, the cauliflower harvest at 769 tonnes was 36% smaller, and the tomato harvest at 1771 tonnes turned out 26% smaller than the July-average of 2011-2014. On the other hand, with 423 tonnes, the Swiss bush bean harvest was 14% higher than in the reference period. As a consequence, bean import clearly turned out smaller (-79%). Because domestic products are more expensive than imported products, retail prices turned out higher.
The prices of head lettuce (green) (+3%; 1.46 CHF/Stk.) and zucchetti (+1%m 3,46 CHF/kg) reacted little to the hot weather in July. Whereby the Swiss supply of head lettuce was practically the same with 1,223 tonnes (-1%), and the zucchetti supply clearly turned out higher (+25%) with 2,261 tonnes than the July-average of the past four years.
Source: www.blw.admin.ch