"Sweetcorn demand is much higher than the supply"

Sweetcorn demand in Europe is currently so strong that the production available is unable to cover it. "The shortage of sweetcorn is the result of an imbalance between supply and demand," explains Carlos Olmos, commercial director of Huercasa, the largest producer and marketer of boiled corn in Europe.

"The Moroccan campaign has been shorter than usual, which has left a big gap in the market before the start of the Spanish campaign in Andalusia. At the moment, the season is already underway and things are going well due to the high demand," he points out.

According to Carlos Olmos, the weather conditions have not affected the crops in Spain, although the heavy rains will reduce the production volume in France and Germany, so a shortage of fresh sweetcorn is expected for the summer months. "Huercasa's acreage grows by around 20% each year, but this year it seems that the acreage expansion will not be enough to meet the demand," he states.

Year after year, the consumption of boiled corn is progressively increasing. According to Carlos Olmos, "barbecues are becoming increasingly fashionable as a leisure option. At the same time, there is a trend to reduce the consumption of meat at these barbecues, with the consequent growth of vegetables." This has been the case especially after the statements of the WHO claiming that an excessive intake of meat could increase your chances of suffering cancer, combined with the impact of viral documentaries that denounce the negative impact that the meat industry can have on the environment. "We can confirm that we see a clear trend in Europe to replace animal proteins by vegetable proteins," affirms Carlos Olmos.