In Europe, the entire vegetable range is currently costly. In Spain, temperatures dropped sharply again recently, and in Belgium, the market is still waiting for larger volumes. "There aren't shortages; the supply's just very limited," Christoph Bouvry of the Belgian wholesaler of the same name says. "Prices have been sky-high for ages, and I think we could still experience problems until April/May. In this sector, however, you never know."
Yet, according to Christoph, the worst seems to be over. "It's hard to get almost all types of vegetables. Cauliflower, bell peppers, zucchini, everything's expensive. But there's a limit to everything. Some Belgian product is starting to return. Green peppers have started coming in, and we're also getting more eggplants. The Belgian supply could tip the entire situation, and things should improve in Spain in the coming weeks. Things will improve; it's just a question of when. But, it surely couldn't get any worse," he says.
Things can change quickly, and Christoph cites this week's Belgian tomato situation as an example. "On Wednesday, I saw four times more Belgian tomatoes than in previous days. Then prices immediately improve tremendously. As I said, things can change very quickly in this sector."
"As soon as there's sufficient supply again, prices drop significantly. It's always hard to be sure about that, though. If local supply doesn't enter the market until late April, Spain will probably keep filling that gap. However, the past few months have shown that's not always something on which to rely," he admits.
The trader is, however, sure the issues with cauliflower will continue for a while. "That's going to be tough. Last week, there was a brief respite, and prices were fairly low, but those rose sharply this week. The cold Spanish weather is affecting our supply and the associated prices."
Nonetheless, Groothandel Bouvry's sales continue smoothly. "Clementines keep selling very well, and our clients are presently demanding kiwis, too," continues Christoph. "We also recently started with Flemish asparagus, but these are still very limited quantities. Everything's slightly more challenging."
"It's a little harder to sell expensive products. But the lower volumes aren't depressing our sales. The prices compensate for the lesser volumes, so revenues are actually up. I look forward to the coming months with the better weather around the corner," Christoph concludes.
For more information:
Christoph Bouvry
Bouvry
5 Jacob van Artevelde Street
8000, Brugge, Belgium
Tel: +32 (0) 504 59 060
Email: info@bouvry.be
Website: www.primamundo.com