German vegetable growers hope for better year after EHEC crisis

After the loss of millions last summer, due to the EHEC crisis, the fruit and vegetable growers from the German region Pfalz now hope for a better year. They want to profit from the regional product trend, as they said at the official start of season in Mutterstadt. "We hope that we can compensate for the loss of last year this year", says Johannes Trauth, manager of the cooperation Pfalzmarkt, a collaboration between growers from the region. The cooperation hopes to reach a turnover of 100 million Euro in 2012.

The cooperation Pfalzmarkt consist of around 200 growers who grow fruits and vegetables on around 18,000 hectares and make the Pfalz one of the biggest cultivation areas in the country. Organic products still have a subordinate position in the region at the moment. This year around 160 hectares will probably be used for the cultivation of these products. But this area grows each year and according to Trauth could grow to ten percent of the entire growing area, depending on the development of the demand.

At the moment the cooperation wants to ensure that the consumers will want lettuce from Pfalz through an image campaign. It is for sale again. The campaign will also help stop the price dropping in the branch. "We want to make people realise the value of products", says Trauth.