The Dutch pepper season has started again. Time to ask Thijs Jasperse, chairman of P-8, a Dutch peppers industry organisation, about his expectations for the Dutch pepper season. "I am reasonably optimistic about the season," he says. "But after three terribly bad pepper years it is highly necessary that it will go well this year."
Last week the pepper prices were still well over 2 Euro, but unfortunately this week prices decreased again to below 2 Euro. That is worrying, but I trust that the decrease in price will not last long" Thijs says. Till the middle of April there will still be competition from abroad from Israel and Almeria, but in about two weeks it will be Easter and we expect extra demand at that time."The conditions for better pepper sales are, according to Thijs, definitely present. "First of all the Dutch area decreased by about 4 percent. That is about sixty hectares less peppers. In addition with red peppers there is a change as well in quick colouring varieties and that is certainly to the good of the quality."
During the last few years consumption of peppers increased considerably. Per household consumption in Germany increased from 4.3 to 5.3 kgs per household between 2007 and 2010 and in the Netherlands from 2.3 to 3 kgs." Thijs mentions. "The consumption in the United Kingdom is still the lowest in Europe, but I trust that this will also improve since, as a result of competition between the supermarkets, fixed national prices are less and less common."
It will not be the fault of P-8 the chairman argues. During the last three years we ran a campaign "Kleurrijke mensen koken met paprika's" (Colourful people cook with peppers). Now we are starting a three year campaign in a number of countries with the slogan 'Pak Paprika's' (Pick a Pepper). To offer a 'reminder' is first class, but there are many other ways to prepare peppers and possibilities to offer peppers. Especially when compared to tomatoes the pepper organisation is still very dull and that also offers sufficient opportunities."
Quite a number of activities have been planned again and also growers association Best of Four, which was already involved in various campaigns, has again registered as a member of P-8, so that pepper growers can act unanimously. Also the fusion of BGB and Versdirect.nl into VanNature, resulting in a concentration in the sales area, is a reason for satisfaction to the P-8 leader. "It took a while, but at the moment steps are taken in any case. We hope that this will lead to further developments."