The Belgian greenhouse vegetable market presents a mixed picture. While the new season for tomatoes and peppers started strongly, pepper prices have already eased somewhat. Cucumbers are now experiencing a sharp decline after very high prices in early February. "It is just a matter of waiting until Spain starts to withdraw from the market. That will be early next month, after which there will be more room," says Benny Cuypers of BelOrta.
Tomatoes started with strong prices, but normalisation is setting in
The tomato season has started positively, according to Benny. "In the beginning, we saw very high prices, especially in the first weeks of the season. This was mainly because there were quite a few production issues in southern Europe leading up to the Belgian season. As a result, supply was lower, and there was more room in the market."
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"With Belgian tomatoes, we therefore entered at a very good time. Meanwhile, you can see that prices have come down somewhat, but that is part of the seasonal progression. Spain will remain present in the market for a while, and our production is also increasing, but we have not yet reached the real peak. That will take another month or so, which means prices are expected to remain fairly stable for now."
Volumes will therefore start to increase gradually, at least until Spain withdraws from the market again. "I think they will begin to reduce supply from the start of next month. That is also the peak period for Belgian greenhouse vegetables. In spring, there is traditionally some overlap with the Spanish production season, but this year that overlap is actually quite limited for many products compared to other years."
Bottom prices for cucumbers, pepper market shifts
The situation is very different for cucumbers. According to Benny, there is clear overproduction in Western Europe. "Everyone is operating at maximum production, and that is now creating an oversupply. You immediately see prices coming under strong pressure. They are almost at the bottom levels," he explains.
"We will have to wait for crop changes before improvement can be expected. This will begin gradually next week, after which I expect some improvement in the following week, but it will be gradual and not an immediate return to firm price levels."
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The situation has also shifted for peppers. "They actually started similarly to tomatoes, with strong prices due to tight market supply. However, you can now see that the situation is changing. Across all colours, prices have fallen again, with yellow peppers currently under the most pressure."
"We are now clearly in the first real production peak, which means supply temporarily exceeds what the market can absorb. At the same time, it is important to remember that prices were high for a long period, so the lower prices still need to filter through the supply chain."
Pressure on leek market, but cauliflower positive
Looking beyond greenhouse vegetables, many winter vegetables are nearing the end of their season. "Crops such as Brussels sprouts and turnips have already been completed. Leeks, however, are currently facing a very difficult situation. There are still large volumes available, mainly due to strong winter production. Those volumes are still present."
"At the same time, demand has declined, partly due to changing weather conditions and shifting consumption patterns. Consumers are gradually moving towards other types of vegetables. It remains a staple product, but demand is evolving, which is putting considerable pressure on prices. I do not expect much improvement in the short term. It remains to be seen how the final weeks will develop, when crops will truly end, and how the young leeks, which typically enter the market first from southern Europe, will perform. The season is unlikely to end strongly, so it is mainly a matter of waiting and looking ahead to next year, hopefully under different conditions."
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While leeks are under pressure, cauliflower is a bright spot in the market. "That is currently showing a positive trend. There is less supply available, which is directly reflected in prices. Supply from Brittany is already significantly lower than usual, and difficult weather conditions in Spain have reduced production. As a result, winter and greenhouse cauliflower are achieving good prices. Outdoor production will start in the coming weeks, but gradually, so we remain optimistic for the weeks ahead."
For more information:
Benny Cuypers
BelOrta
Mechelsesteenweg 120
B-2860 Sint-Katelijne-Waver, Belgium
Tel: +32 (0) 15 55 11 11
[email protected]
www.belorta.be
