"Netherlands: "Sales and price of cabbage dramatic"

"Sales and price of cabbage is dramatically bad." This is according to Bart Francis of vegetable trader, A.N.Boekel from the Netherlands. "The supply of white and red cabbage is limited at the moment. The demand is even smaller still. The willingness of the growers to ready cabbage for export is limited. This because of the extremely low prices. Especially the price of white cabbage is dramatically low. These hardly cover the cost of readying for export."

The abundant rain during the growing season has, especially in the months of August and September, damaged amongst others, Chinese cabbage in the Netherlands. Bas Francis: About 15 to 25 percent of the area of Chinese cabbage was lost. After the good cabbage season 2010/2011 considerably more cabbage was planted as far as area is concerned in Germany, Eastern Europe and Russia, where last year was a good cabbage year and good prices were obtained. This combined with long awaited low temperatures is the cause of the price and sales this year.

"The most important cabbage months as far as the Dutch export of white cabbage is concerned are normally March to May inclusive to Eastern Europe and Russia, where a lot may go in a short period. After that one has to be careful because the various vegetables of the new harvest come into the market in those countries. Up to now the export to these countries is very limited. It is estimated that this is not even a quarter compared to last year. Last year was not a normal year either as there was a screaming shortage of cabbage in all of Europe and Russia. At the moment it is estimated that we are about 40% behind with sales compared to last year this time" Bas tells.

Bas Francis is positive about the quality of the cabbage. "Despite a lot of rain the quality of the cabbage is good in general. The few bad parcels, which there are, are sold as fodder at the present prices. The sizes of the cabbage are generally varied and smaller than other years, but that does not affect the quality. During the coming four months we will certainly be able to put a product of reasonable quality on the market, with which we will certainly do well. We now therefore hope that we in the Netherlands and our countries of selling will have a cold and dark spring, so that the products of the new harvest are delayed as much as possible. That will give us some more space on the market, which hopefully will result in better prices than those which are in the market at the moment."

For more information:
A.N. Boekel B.V.
Bas Francis
31a, Slootgaardweg
1738 DC Waarland
Netherlands
Tel.: +31-226-421479
Fax: +31-226-422994
www.boekelwaarland.nl