Modernisation creating good competition on the pepper market

The warm weather and new modern growing facilities in Poland, has brought an early start to the bell pepper season. Last season, exports did not start until mid-July and Agnieszka Arcimowicz from Targban said that they are already able to load full trucks of green peppers, with yellow and red peppers to follow over the coming weeks.

"This is a great time to enter the market, with Spanish production having quality issues and Dutch peppers still being sold at high prices. This year is not only looking good when it comes to bell peppers, but we are also seeing good quantities of courgettes and eggplants (aubergine) for export. We have been including these vegetables in mixed shipments along with our peppers," Agnieszka said.

Although most producers are still growing in the traditional tunnels, Agnieszka said that one of their growers has recently undergone a complete modernisation, with everything controlled and monitored by computers.

"It's exciting, the new greenhouses are very similar and equal to the Dutch production and we have been able to see the difference in quality immediately. The peppers we have received have a perfect shape with a cut stem. It's a great system, when the temperatures become too warm, the vents open, and irrigation starts when the plants need water."

Outside of the domestic market, Targban exports to the UK, Germany, Denmark and Sweden. When asked about how much she thinks that Brexit will affect their trade with the UK, Agnieszka replied, "We have already made it through losing Russia, I am sure that we will be able to figure out something with the UK. We need them and they need us, so I don't see any big problems."

For more information:

Agnieszka Arcimowicz
Targban
Tel: +48 22 48 14 804
Fax: +48 22 48 14 801
Email: a.arcimowicz@targban.com
www.targban.com