Germany: Swede is vegetable of the year 2017-2018

Along with 'forgotten vegetables' such as parsnips and salsify, the swede is also coming up. The unique head vegetable with the slightly yellowish flesh was even elected as Vegetable of the Year 2017 and 2018 by the Federal Center for Nutrition (BZfE). The so-called all-rounder in the kitchen used to be poor people's food, but is now grown in large quantities on German fields.

A typical winter vegetable, with a slightly sweet taste and many valuable ingredients such as vitamins B1, B2 and C. In addition, the swede is very versatile and can be used in soups as well as stews and salads. It is not for nothing that these vegetables are increasingly appearing in cooking programs and recipes, putting them in the focus of young consumers. Great advertising campaigns, new varieties and convenience goods, however, so far did not exist.

Scotland
Even producer Florian Jochims from Elpersbüttel in Dithmarschen does not know what the exact reason of this renaissance is. Nonetheless, its acreage is twice as large as it was about 20 years ago. Despite the below-average returns last year, the market is stable and sales are satisfactory. “The quality of the goods is fine. The prices are also almost stable and not much than last year." According to the farmer, the quality criteria are also incomparable with many other types of vegetables. The product just has to have a round shape and has to look clean. That is why the producer has his own washing plant where the turnips are prepared. From there, they are marketed to regional distributors and distributors.

Although the swede has become popular again, Jochims does not believe that the swede will start to compete with the carrots. Because on the one hand, there are only two main varieties and it has no trendy offshoots like for instance -with carrots- the snack carrots. Secondly, because the swedes are certainly not grown in the same large quantities. “You can not compare this with, for example, the United Kingdom, where acreages of thousands of hectares are available and the swedes are therefore very widespread. In March, when the German goods expire, we also buy goods from Scotland and prepare them here.” The award for Vegetable of the Year is certainly very beneficial for continuing rise of the swede. Jochims: "It's important to me that product popularity will stay the same in the coming years."

For more information:

F.P.Jochims GmbH - Gemüsebau

Hohe Straße 1, 25704 Elpersbüttel

Tel: +49 (0)4832 2287

E-Mail: f.jochims@gmx.de