September is traditionally a busy time in the northern vegetable stronghold of Dithmarschen: summer crops – primarily broccoli and cauliflower – are harvested for a good month, while the red and white cabbage harvest is already in full swing, followed by the annual storage from the end of September. However, the particularly abundant yields have posed major challenges for vegetable farmers in terms of marketing, confirms Hannes Nagel, managing director of the company of the same name based in Friedrichskoog.
According to Nagel, the broccoli and cauliflower market has been under severe pressure since the start of the harvest in June. "Overall, yield rates are around 15 percent higher than last year, with correspondingly higher production costs, while prices per piece in the first half of the season were up to €0.10-0.15 below last year's level. Even though we were able to move comparatively larger quantities, the overall results are weaker than last year. Nevertheless, we are not particularly dissatisfied, especially since demand usually picks up again somewhat in September. In this respect, the signs for the coming weeks of sales are consistently positive."
© Nagel GemüseversandView of the company's premises, including the new warehouse
After an early start to the season due to the weather, large quantities came onto the market in June and July, which led to a corresponding oversupply, Nagel recalls. In August, harvest volumes were significantly lower, allowing the markets to recover accordingly. "Although prices have stabilized at a reasonable level, they will not be able to fully compensate for the losses of the first half of the season. Nevertheless, we are hoping for a good finish to this year's season." Broccoli from Dithmarschen is expected to be available until the end of September, while cauliflower will be harvested until mid-October.
© Nagel GemüseversandInsight into cabbage cultivation: A period of heavy rainfall was ultimately followed by a relatively dry phase, during which some of the crops had to be irrigated, Nagel continues.
White cabbage prices at an all-time low
Parallel to the cauliflower and broccoli harvest, the first early white cabbage was also harvested in June. Nagel: "This year's white cabbage harvest began a little earlier than usual and is above the average of previous years in terms of quantity. In addition, the area under cultivation for early white cabbage in our region has been greatly expanded. This, in turn, contributed to the white cabbage market being under extreme pressure at the start of the new season, making it difficult for us to sell some of the older stock. Prices are currently at a low level, but I believe we have now reached the bottom."
© Nagel Gemüseversand
The storage of red and white cabbage traditionally gets underway gradually from the end of September. "Under certain weather conditions, Xanthomonas or dry rot occur more frequently, which will unfortunately be the case this year and could lead to yield losses, especially for stored cabbage. However, the possible consequences for the local vegetable sector will only become apparent later in the season," outlines Nagel, who serves export customers in other European countries in addition to the German domestic market. "Last season, we were able to export large quantities in the fall, which is actually rather unusual. This year, exports on this scale are not expected for now."
© Nagel Gemüseversand
Pooling of resources
Since the turn of the century, the company has developed into a reliable partner for wholesalers and retailers throughout Germany. In recent years, the family-owned business has invested in new cold storage capacity and logistics, among other things, to be able to handle the increasing yields in the future. "We want to continue to grow gradually in the coming years and are always open to new partners and customers. We see further growth potential above all in the pooling of resources and the efficient design of our processes," he concludes.
For more information:
Hannes Nagel
Nagel Gemüseversand GmbH & Co.KG
Koogstr. 33
D-25718 Friedrichskoog
Tel: +49 (0) 049 48 54 93 66
Fax: +49 (0) 049 48 54 93 68
Mobile: +49 (0) 049 172 9098025
[email protected]
www.nagel-gemueseversand.de
