The strawberry volumes at Hoogstraten are slowly starting to increase. On 30 March, there were about 30 tonnes to be auctioned at the clock. The most common varieties just now are the Clery and Sonata and next week there will also be Elsanta. "After that, the volumes will really start to grow," affirms Jan Engelen.
Tipping point
He expects a greater volume to become available within a few weeks. "Sunshine is expected this weekend, so production will also increase rapidly. When it comes to supply and demand, we are at a tipping point. There is sometimes just not enough to serve a large customer, but that should change in the coming weeks thanks to the good weather. Everyone is already in a spring mood. This is partly due to the early Easter this year, so demand is certainly there."
Price down
Last week, the price still reached around 7 Euro, but this has now dropped to an average of 4.5 Euro. "The highest quality fruit reaches approximately 5.5 Euro," said Jan. "It is normal for the price to fall after Easter. There is naturally also still some southern European fruit on the market, although the quality is no longer as good. As soon as there is sufficient north European production, retailers will make the switch."
More soft fruit
Strawberries are not the only soft fruit sold by Hoogstraten. "In the course of the year, we have been urging producers to grow also blueberries or raspberries, for example. We also offer kiwi berries and cherries. We don't offer large amounts of these, but volumes are definitely on the rise. This year, we expect about 30 tonnes of cherries, which is 25 tonnes more than last season."
For more information:
Jan Engelen
Coöperatie Hoogstraten
Loenhoutseweg 59
Hoogstraten - Belgium
Tel: +32 3 3400233
Fax: +32 3 3147844
www.hoogstraten.eu
Jan Engelen
Coöperatie Hoogstraten
Loenhoutseweg 59
Hoogstraten - Belgium
Tel: +32 3 3400233
Fax: +32 3 3147844
www.hoogstraten.eu
