It is no surprise that heat causes quality issues in full soil cultivation. The lower supply is keeping fennel day prices at a reasonable level. Buyers are also more flexible with their specifications. Fennel grower, Joop Litjens has noted this. He is from the Northern Limburg area of Leunen in the Netherlands.
"With this extreme weather, quality requirements must be adjusted," he says. "This is needed because there is simply less Class A product available. But, of course, it is is an opportunity for supermarkets."
#hetezomeroogst (hot summer harvest) fennel is being sold in local Limburg supermarkets.
The growers association, Fossa Eugenia, sells Litjens' fennel. They sell to the food industry, wholesalers, and retailers. Most find their way to the domestic and English market.
Litjens can sort customer-specific fennel cuts according to size and weight. However, this, the largest fennel grower in the Netherlands, cannot sell or finds it more difficult to sell a larger portion of its product than others. This difficulty is due to the problems with quality. It is purely about how the fennel looks.
“Due to the hot weather experienced, the fennel did not grow into its typical bulb shape. They are longer and flatter. There is nothing amiss with the taste. They are just as fresh, tasty, and healthy as the others," says Joop.
A poster made for the #hetezomeroogst fennel. It reads, 'They may look different sometimes. But they taste the same.'
The regional agricultural organization, ZLTO, has once again launched the #hetezomeroogst (hot summer harvest) campaign. Through this, just like last year, some of this #hetezomeroogst fennel is being sold to local supermarkets.
“It is a fraction of the total sales. However, it is good that attention is being paid to the product in this manner," Joop continues. The current quality issues are due to the hot weather in June. Given the heatwave at the end of July, these problems are not yet at an end.
Fennel is still being harvested until mid-November. Joop, therefore, expects problems "can still crop up."
For more information:
Litjens Venkel
info@litjensvenkel.nl
www.litjensvenkel.nl
For sales information:
Fossa Eugenia
Tel: +31 (0) 883 210 210
Fax: +31(0) 883 210 211
info@fossaeugenia.com
www.fossaeugenia.com