'Bulk availability of Belgian tomatoes very good'

The supply of Western European tomatoes and cucumbers has just entered its main season. On the wholesale markets in the Ruhr region, products from Dutch and Belgian soil mainly dominate events. The quantity availability is broadly satisfactory, but demand and prices fluctuate per day, says Ahmet Cicek of Diyarmed GmbH - a specialized supplier of vegetables on the Cologne wholesale market.

The Cologne wholesaler purchases his goods from the Netherlands or Belgium almost all year round. Currently, the Belgian vine tomatoes are a hit in its range: “Some 90 percent of our range is made up of Belgian Princess tomatoes, which we supplement with Elite tomatoes. Our products are obtained either directly from the producer or, if necessary, through the auction," says Mr Cicek.

Mini cucumbers
In addition to tomatoes, the wholesaler sells aubergines, cucumbers and peppers from neighboring countries. In addition to direct relations with Belgian and Dutch producers, Diyarmed GmbH also works with permanent business partners on the Rotterdam wholesale market, which is why the company is able to offer high-quality and attractively priced fruit vegetables almost all year round. Cicek: “The supply of Dutch and Belgian goods usually continues into December. Thereafter, depending on the price and availability, we will switch to products from Turkey and Spain.”

With regard to cucumbers, currently there are a few interesting trends. “We are noticing a clear need for the 35-40 and 40-45 calibre. Mini cucumbers and gourmet cucumbers are also a growing product segment in our product portfolio. In addition, the demand for eggplant in the calibres 175 and 225 is worth mentioning. We distribute these predominantly in 10 kg cardboard boxes.”