Thanks to warm temperatures in the important growing month of April, Landgard member farms have had a good start into the season for German outdoor lettuce throughout the country at the beginning of May. Since March, consumers have already been able to buy the first fresh lettuces and colourful lettuce varieties from greenhouse cultivation in retail stores. Since the end of April, the first outdoor varieties like Mini-Romana from unprotected cultivation have been enriching the ranges on offer. In the second week of May - just in time for the start of the barbecue season - the harvest of the popular German iceberg lettuce is also starting.
Christian Berghs-Trienekens, owner of BT Vegetables
Even if the special requirements surrounding the entry and use of harvest helpers continue to pose major additional challenges for the growers - all in all, the producers are quite optimistic about this year's salad season. "After a rainy start to the planting season, the fine weather accompanied us almost throughout April, ensuring a very good uniform quality of our salads," says a delighted Christian Berghs-Trienekens, owner of BT Gemüse. "Due to the lack of rain in the last few weeks, we had to provide additional irrigation early on, but we are now used to that. We mainly grow for the food retail trade and have therefore been able to sell our harvest volumes well so far. If the weather holds up now, we're in good spirits for May.
Lettuce cultivation on about 1100 hectares
In the western region alone, 34 Landgard member companies cultivate open field lettuce on about 1100 hectares. "All in all, we expect good quality and a reliable supply of our customers for the 2020 lettuce season", says Thomas Korff, division manager at Landgard Obst & Gemüse. "Together with our producers, we are committed to providing delicious fresh salads from Germany for the 2020 barbecue season."
For more information:
www.landgard.de
www.bt-gemuese.de/