Germany: 'Hardly any locally grown leeks available'

Wholesalers with a focus on leeks are currently experiencing some difficult weeks. The demand is far from optimal and domestic supply is quite limited because of the wet weather. “For three weeks now we haven’t had any domestic leeks on offer.”

For the last one to two weeks it's been very quiet on the leek front, according to Rolf Strietzel of the Hintze GmbH in the Hamburg fresh center. “Last week in particular there was nothing going on. Demand is falling, which is why the prices are quite low. Weekly we sell between one and two pallets.” The Hamburg wholesalers are currently sourcing their products from the Netherlands with a brokerage price of 0,62 euros per kg. In Osnabrück, also close to the Dutch border, prices are about the same: 0,60 euros per kg.

Leeks are currently hardly in demand

The week before Christmas
However, all is not yet lost for the leek market. For some traders, the season even runs until March or April. Strietzel: “Our season ends in February. I suspect that both demand and prices will rise again in the week before Christmas. Soon the harvests in the Palatinate will start again, and in growing regions such as Hessen. So far, the quality of the leeks is very good.”

However, several traders confirm that leeks are not really 'the' vegetables for Christmas. Kale, turchini and iceberg lettuce are very popular. At the Osnabrück wholesale market, leeks are a secondary product as well, according to owner Frank Rosemann. “Of course, this has to do with the fact the we are offering leeks almost year-round.”

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