"One supplier who has supplied us with currants so far will clear his entire crop due to the costs. From another farmer we have learned that he will completely stop his blueberry production," Claudia Reich from Früchte Reich GmbH & Co. KG tells us.
"Unfortunately, it is not taken into account that the farmers can hardly afford their costs in view of the increase in the minimum wage and the cost of electricity." She also said she notices that more and more growers are stopping production. "About two years ago, the first farmers already stopped producing strawberries. This is largely due to the purchasing trend of the food retailers, some of which offer the cheaper imported goods in the middle of the German season."
Claudia Reich
The company has been offering blueberries at the Stuttgart wholesale market since June. "We primarily source blueberries from Baden-Württemberg and will probably have them in our assortment until mid-September," Reich said. Due to the vacations, demand was rather quiet, while the price developed along usual lines, he said. "For the rest of the year, we also help ourselves to imported goods that we receive through other traders at the wholesale market in order to be able to maintain our assortment vis-à-vis the food retail trade. Since the pandemic, we trade berries all year round."
Früchte Reich's main customers include grocery retailers, weekly markets and small retail stores within a 50 km radius. "We market the blueberries in wooden crates of 10 x 500 g units and in 8 x 125 g cartons. We also offer 16 x 125 g crates, but they are less in demand."
At the beginning of the summer, there was a slight drop in quality due to the heat, but overall quality was satisfactory, he said. Difficulties were again experienced with finding truck drivers, he said. "We have been looking for drivers for two years. But even through the employment office, no one has applied yet."
Further information:
Claudia Reich
Früchte Reich GmbH & Co. KG
Großmarkt Stuttgart
Langwiesenweg 30
70327 Stuttgart
Tel.: +49 711/467446
info@fruechte-reich.de
www.fruechte-reich.de