Already at the start of the season for Italian lettuce for the winter of 2023/2024, there were major bottlenecks. Normally, the lettuce is always ready to harvest in the last week of October, but this year the start of the season was rather difficult. "September was consistently nice and warm, October, on the other hand, was very mixed, with heavy rains and then high temperatures. Accordingly, the open field lettuce was consistently of poor quality," says Peter Mair, sales manager at the Italian cooperative Gruppo Mec.
Even in
the foil houses, the lettuce suffered from fluctuating temperatures and the high humidity. Mair: "In some cases, the varieties chosen were not the right ones for these temperatures. The crops were exposed to high levels of insect infestation and fungal diseases. The disease pressure was so high that the goods were not fit for exporting. Meanwhile, German domestic production increased earlier than the previous year end, which is why a corresponding supply gap arose, with prices that were sometimes more than double."
It wasn't until the second week of December that the market slowly returned to normal, Mair continues. Prices have now settled down to a normal level. "We don't see any bottlenecks for Christmas and New Year. If the weather continues to cooperate, M.E.C. will have enough goods until mid-January at the current price level."
The season is expected to end in the second week of April. Until then, export volumes are expected to continue. Mair: "The producers in southern Italy are also struggling with bad weather, low temperatures and few hours of sunshine in winter. Climate change has already been noticeable for several years. The weather remains a key element in our industry and it continues to influence cultivation and pricing."
Italian lettuce continues to hold lead position
Over the winter months, Italian lettuce continues to dominate the offering on the German market. The cultivated volumes have been stable for years. "Although the Belgian goods are of very good quality and the piece weights are very precise, the goods are subject to auction, which, among other things, contributes to high price jumps. France is losing importance every year, which is also linked to the auctions and the labor-intensive harvest. Spain would have potential regarding lettuce cultivation, but the greenhouses there continue to predominantly grow tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers," Mair concludes.
Images: Gruppo Mec
For more information:
Peter Mair
Gruppo Mec
Tel. +49 151 54453101
Tel. +39 333 4700507
Email: p.mair@gruppomec.it
https://www.gruppomec.it/deu/landing-page/