At all levels of trade, prices rose sharply. Iceberg lettuce and broccoli were particularly affected, but at the beginning of 2017, vegetables were also significantly more expensive than in previous years. Despite initially limited supply options, vegetable imports into Germany in 2017 probably reached the levels of the year before. In terms of value, imports have already reached a record level on the basis of preliminary data. The high prices at the beginning of the year also contributed to this. Due to the high self-sufficiency in the 2016/17 season, fewer carrots and onions were imported into Germany in 2017. In contrast, imports of cauliflower recovered from the weak results of the year before.
Lightning start to the German vegetable season
A warm and sunny March in Germany in 2017 led to a lightning start of the vegetable season with fast-growing harvest quantities. With the early vegetables, such as asparagus, rhubarb, bunch onion and radish prices have fallen earlier and faster than in other years. For consumers, this was pleasing after the high prices of January and February. Then came a real challenge for the growers. After March, the spring weather was over. April and the start of May were unusually cold. The harvest in the later cultivation areas was delayed, and supplies became smaller again. However, the low prices were there and they could not be raised to the necessary extent.
In the course of the season the vegetable harvest was under the influence of more weather extremes. Regional crop failures caused by heavy rainfall could mostly be compensated nationwide, so that there were no extreme price reactions. From August onwards, there was continuing rainfall in northern Germany. There was rain until October, again and again. The harvest of carrots and onions for storage was delayed and the harvest of vegetables for immediate marketing was also affected.
More vegetables harvested than last year
Despite sometimes extreme weather conditions, more vegetables were harvested in Germany in 2017 than in the year before. However, most of the increase in volume is due to larger acreages. By contrast, the average yield rose only slightly after the slump in 2016. Even with greenhouse cultivation, more vegetables were harvested over a larger area than in the previous year. According to the Federal Statistical Office Vegetable Survey 2017, vegetables were cultivated in Germany on an area of 128,900 ha last year. This meant that the area was just under 7% larger than in 2016. The amount of outdoor vegetables increased by a good 7% to 3.77 million tons. The acreage of greenhouse vegetables has been increased by 4% to 1,271 ha. With this greater acreage, there was a significantly increase in the production of greenhouse vegetables as well. At 182,118 tons, it reached a record level.
Impact on prices, promotions and customer demand
Vegetables are predominantly cultivated in the field and are thus more or less dependent on the weather. Production is more difficult to plan than, for example, with industrially manufactured goods. Accordingly, production, trade and consumers are constantly confronted with new challenges and market situations.
How did the general conditions in 2017 affect supply, demand and prices? In response to these questions, the AMI market experts have compiled comprehensive facts and data on crop yields in Germany, Europe and the world, on foreign trade, on the price situation and on demand in the AMI Market Report. You can use the yearbooks as an important basis for your strategic decisions: You can choose between the book edition in the handy A5 format for your desk, or the eBook plus as a pdf document with all key figures in Excel spreadsheets. Both editions can be conveniently ordered online.
For more information:
www.ami-informiert.de
Michael Koch
Lightning start to the German vegetable season
A warm and sunny March in Germany in 2017 led to a lightning start of the vegetable season with fast-growing harvest quantities. With the early vegetables, such as asparagus, rhubarb, bunch onion and radish prices have fallen earlier and faster than in other years. For consumers, this was pleasing after the high prices of January and February. Then came a real challenge for the growers. After March, the spring weather was over. April and the start of May were unusually cold. The harvest in the later cultivation areas was delayed, and supplies became smaller again. However, the low prices were there and they could not be raised to the necessary extent.
In the course of the season the vegetable harvest was under the influence of more weather extremes. Regional crop failures caused by heavy rainfall could mostly be compensated nationwide, so that there were no extreme price reactions. From August onwards, there was continuing rainfall in northern Germany. There was rain until October, again and again. The harvest of carrots and onions for storage was delayed and the harvest of vegetables for immediate marketing was also affected.
More vegetables harvested than last year
Despite sometimes extreme weather conditions, more vegetables were harvested in Germany in 2017 than in the year before. However, most of the increase in volume is due to larger acreages. By contrast, the average yield rose only slightly after the slump in 2016. Even with greenhouse cultivation, more vegetables were harvested over a larger area than in the previous year. According to the Federal Statistical Office Vegetable Survey 2017, vegetables were cultivated in Germany on an area of 128,900 ha last year. This meant that the area was just under 7% larger than in 2016. The amount of outdoor vegetables increased by a good 7% to 3.77 million tons. The acreage of greenhouse vegetables has been increased by 4% to 1,271 ha. With this greater acreage, there was a significantly increase in the production of greenhouse vegetables as well. At 182,118 tons, it reached a record level.
Impact on prices, promotions and customer demand
Vegetables are predominantly cultivated in the field and are thus more or less dependent on the weather. Production is more difficult to plan than, for example, with industrially manufactured goods. Accordingly, production, trade and consumers are constantly confronted with new challenges and market situations.
How did the general conditions in 2017 affect supply, demand and prices? In response to these questions, the AMI market experts have compiled comprehensive facts and data on crop yields in Germany, Europe and the world, on foreign trade, on the price situation and on demand in the AMI Market Report. You can use the yearbooks as an important basis for your strategic decisions: You can choose between the book edition in the handy A5 format for your desk, or the eBook plus as a pdf document with all key figures in Excel spreadsheets. Both editions can be conveniently ordered online.
For more information:
www.ami-informiert.de
Michael Koch