"Lettuce market worsening"

The lettuce market has been difficult for quite some time now. "The prices have been low since October. Their quality is generally good, but no-one is buying. There is no demand from Scandinavia. We sent some lettuce to Poland out of desperation. Now, these exports have also stopped. It is difficult to find other sales avenues", says Henk van Doorne of Van Doorne Imex from 's-Gravenzande in the Netherlands. He grows and sells lettuce and root vegetables.

Henk says the situation is problematic. "Sometimes sales are poor for a few weeks. When it continues for so long, it becomes worrying. The heads of lettuce are getting the worst of it. After all, who buys a head of lettuce these days - with all those convenience items in the supermarket", this experienced trader wonders. "Fortunately, the Jumbo lettuce has experienced a significant recovery this week. After a long, difficult period, it has gone from EUR0,25 to between EUR0,40 to EUR0,60. The Poly lettuce is, however, is still selling for about EUR0,20. There are no prospects there."

"Luckily, we are going to harvest the first greenhouse fennel at the end of next week. This is my favourite crop. I am one of the few growers who still cultivates fennel in a greenhouse. The exporters are also all starting to ask for it. It does not sell well locally. In our neighbouring countries, we do better. This offers us hope after the misery in the lettuce market."