In the early picking areas of Germany, the organic wild garlic harvest is now in the starting blocks. "In calendar week 12, we will already be able to offer the first small quantities, with larger quantities available the following week," says Nicolai Timaeus of Georgs Bio-Bauern GmbH & Co. Handels KG. The season is starting a little later than last year due to the weather, i.e., the current colder nights, the specialized marketer continues.
The company is starting the new wild garlic season confidently for now. Timaeus: "We have been given two new picking areas in Bavaria and have also installed a new flow pack machine there, so we are well-prepared for this year's campaign. Both in the regular food retailing and in the natural food trade, smaller packaging units, i.e., 50 and 100 grams, are particularly popular, although larger units and loose goods can still be found at the point of sale." The company's management is also positive about marketing at this time, Timaeus continues. "We can't say too much about the quantities and qualities currently, but the outlook is positive. We expect high demand at the start of the season, especially since we already see a high willingness on the part of our customers to run advertising campaigns."
Timaeus emphasizes that wild garlic is considered one of the first messengers of spring and that the marketing window is extremely weather-dependent. "Normally, we can offer wild garlic from the higher altitudes around Altenburg (Thuringia) and Garmisch-Partenkirchen until mid-May. Last year, however, an acute cold front meant that we had to end the season as early as the beginning of May, a little earlier than usual."
Due to further cost increases in production, the sales prices for wild garlic are slightly higher than last year.
Low price level characterizes pumpkin market
Meanwhile, the company is turning to Egypt for its organic Hokkaido pumpkin, its main product. Timaeus: "We received the first shipments from Egypt at the beginning of February. The quantities available are available as planned, but unfortunately, the qualities are mixed. Overall, the market is adequately supplied at relatively low selling prices, up to 20 percent below the level of the previous year. We have been observing this low price level since the turn of the year," he concludes.
For more information:
Nicolai Timaeus
Georgs Bio-Bauern GmbH & Co. Handels KG
Tannenweg 10
97854 Steinfeld
Tel: +49 9359 973900
[email protected]
www.georgs-biobauern.de
