If a farmer wants to get a good price for their products, it's better for them to work together with other farmers. In this way, buyers will not get the chance to play growers up against each other. They then can also not drive prices down. This is the precise role an auction house takes on.
Kobe van Looveren, Belgische Fruitveiling
Growers Cooperative
Belgian Fruit Auctioneers, the Belgische Fruitveiling (BFV) is a cooperative of hundreds of fruit growers. They coordinate harvests and negotiate with buyers. They also ensure that all the fruit that is grown is sold.
In 2000, four growers who are part of this cooperative decided to switch to organic farming. The BVF's Karel Belmans took up the challenge to tap into this new market. "The first years were difficult. The growers still had a lot to learn about organic farming. Selling fruit while changing over was also not easy", Karel explains. For fruit to be sold as organic, a conversion period of several years is needed.
“Fortunately, (the Belgian supermarket chain) Colruyt was onboard from the beginning. They understood that if they wanted organic Belgian fruit on their shelves, they would have to support the farmers. They knew they would have to sell their fruit during the growers three-year change-over period", says Karel.
In the 18 years since then, the BFV's four organic farmers have grown to 13. Karel says, “There is a high demand for organic products. Farmers, therefore, get good prices for their fruit. However, we have noticed that an increasing number of European fruit growers are making the switch to organic farming. In the future, matching supply and demand will become a balancing act. Our organic farmers are a tight knit group. They buy machinery and go on educational trips together. They also regularly consult with each other."
Organic Belgian fruit
This year, organic apple and pear growers can breathe a sigh of relief. The last two years did not see a good harvest. In 2017, night frost resulted in major losses during the flowering period. However, a record harvest is expected in 2018. "This year, at the BVF, we estimate a harvest of 4,5 million kg of organic apples and pears. In a normal year, we get about 3 million kg. This volume is also larger because new farmers have been added", continues Karel.
Where does all this fruit go? "We are a too small of a player to aim for overseas markets with our organic apples", he says. "So, we are now trying to bring Belgian supermarkets around to local organic fruit. Some of these stores often still sell organic fruit from overseas. We also consult with farmers to sell lower-quality fruit for processing as, for instance, juices. There is still a big demand for this. During the change-over phase, fruit can also be grown organically. Because of this, this fruit is often used for non-organic baby food. The standards for this product are somewhat stricter."
Robust breeds
Is there a difference between organic and non-organic apples and pears? "Yes," says Karel. "With organic products, the emphasis is on robust, resistant varieties. For example, the Jonagold variety of apple is very sensitive to diseases. It is, therefore, a difficult breed for organic farmers to grow. They prefer more robust varieties such as the Topaz or Santana. There is also a new breed, the Natyra. This is a very nice apple. It is not only tasty, but it stores well too. We can use these varieties to extend the apple season even more."
However, new varieties also mean you have to do marketing promotions to get these apples into the stores. "I go to the supermarkets. I get people to taste the apples in the hope that they will want to sell them. People often do not know what kind of apples they are buying", he says.
"On 20 October, we are also organizing a large tasting event in (the Belgian town of) Halen. This is in collaboration with Bio Mijn Natuur (the Flanders Organic Forum's Information Hub) and the growers. Here, everyone will get the chance to get to know the difference between the various kinds of organic apples and pears. There is no doubt that resistant varieties are the future", concludes Karel.
Source: Bio Mijn Natuur