Vegetable prices have continued to rise in recent months, especially for cucumbers. The reason for this is the short supply from important growing regions in southern Spain and the Netherlands. According to Gabriele Held, market expert at Agrarmarkt Informations-Gesellschaft (AMI), particularly unfavorable winter weather has caused difficulties for cultivation in these areas.
In Spain, a long, warm late summer was followed by a sharp decline in temperature. This weakened the crops. "Cucumbers do not grow well at nighttime temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius," said Held. In unheated production facilities, the plants developed very slowly. Supply from the Netherlands is also limited. According to the Federal Statistical Office, cucumbers were 43 per cent pricier in Germany in December than in the previous month. Compared to October, prices rose by a good 80 per cent.
Switzerland: Price increases of up to 60 per cent compared to the previous year
Cucumber prices have also risen sharply in Switzerland in recent months. A look at the data portal for agricultural and food markets of the Federal Office for Agriculture shows that cucumbers were 12 per cent more expensive than in the previous week. Compared to the previous year, cucumbers are now up to 60 per cent pricier, according to Denner AG. Similar developments can also be seen with vine tomatoes and zucchini from Spain, for example. Coop and Lidl Switzerland also confirm the inflationary price increases.
