"With summer weather comes summer prices for peppers"

Although the Dutch pepper area is a little smaller than last season, the production is at a much higher level than usual due to the high temperatures and plentiful sunlight. Spain has also had a climatologically calm winter, so the Spanish product is also still on the market and areas such as Almeria is still producing red peppers. Some supermarkets in both the Netherlands and Germany are still offering Spanish product.

"Although we have summer weather outside, unfortunately we also have summer prices, and this is preoccupying the sector," says Thijs Jasperse, who is president of the P8. "Although there's a considerable price difference in the colours, we are at a grosso modo level between 1 and 1.50 Euro and this is far too low. This means we have had a bad start as far as prices are concerned, with strikingly high productions.

"Luckily this cannot persist, as the weather will undoubtedly turn. The plant has received an enormous amount of energy eventually you reach the end of the line back to a production level we're used to. What we're getting more of now, we'll get less of later. When Spain comes off the market it should create a better market balance," Thijs continues. "Luckily, we have a qualitatively fantastic product and all colours are fully available. So the consumers can feast on the Dutch peppers. And that's the advantage of this salad weather."

The pepper sector is also attempting to open the Chinese borders to the Dutch peppers. "Within now and this time next year, we hope to have some results," says Thijs. "We also filed another request as the pepper sector for a new promotion campaign for 2015 to 2017. 85% of the pepper area is participating and this is a great sign of solidarity in a time in which there is much talk of division."