It is not severely cold anywhere in Europe yet. This has led to low prices for winter vegetables. Guy de Meyer from Demargro, a fruit and vegetable export company in Belgium says, "Everything is dependent on the weather. No extremely cold weather is expected in Belgium and the surrounding countries in the next ten days. This means the low prices will continue for now."
Leeks
"Last week leek prices were high at between €0,60 and €0,70. This was mainly due to the numerous promotions after New Year. Since then the price has dropped to €0,33. As there has been no severe freezing anywhere in Europe, there are enough locally-grown leeks in almost every country. This means there is very little demand for the Belgian product. Last year, at this time, leeks were selling for around €1."
Cabbage
"We see the same thing happening with cabbage as with leeks. All varieties are considerably cheaper than is normal for this time of year. White, red and savoy cabbages are going for €0,30 to €0,40 per head. Normally, it is €0,80. This mild weather means minimal crop damage. This has led to an abundance of cabbages on the market. The weather is also responsible for low demand. Most people only start eating cabbage when the weather gets colder."
Low margins
"These low prices are bad news for producers as well as traders. There is no profit to be made. Celeriac should be selling for €0,50 apiece at the moment, but the current price is at between €0,10 and €0,15. Carrots are also still cheap - €0,18 per kg rather than €0,20 to €0,25."
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Demargro