High prices
"We expect the open ground season to really get going in about a week. I also think that the prices will remain high next week, due to the limited availability. This morning 500 boxes were auctioned from the main sorting of asparagus by bowl. That's a third of what it should be for this period. Last year the season was normal, but we hadn't had such a long cold period back then."
In motion next week
"The price for a bowl of 500 grams is 9 Euro at the moment, for the main sorting, and this is good. The prices had gone down a little, but they are back up again. What is striking this season is how good the quality is, the asparagus are very good. This means the sales are also very good. The Belgian consumer prefers a Flandria product, due to the quality. Because there is so little domestic volume, there is also some product arriving from France. The quality of the French asparagus is generally lower, and they haven't been sorted as nicely. Proportionally, they aren't even that cheap, so the warehouses prefer locally grown Belgian or Dutch Flandria products. We expect the supermarkets to come into motion next week."
Maarten thinks the season will continue a little longer this year. "Normally the growers stop around about St-Jan's Day. This year the season will probably be stretched out for some growers, as they will be on the market for a little longer. The total volume certainly won't be larger than last year. Due to the cold the production is a little disappointing and the root development isn't as good."
For more information:
Maarten Verhaegen
BelOrta
Mechelsesteenweg 120
2860 St-Katelijne-Waver, Belgium
Telefoon: +32 15 55 11 11
Telefax: +32 15 55 06 01
[email protected]
www.belorta.be
For more information:
Maarten Verhaegen
BelOrta
Mechelsesteenweg 120
2860 St-Katelijne-Waver, Belgium
Telefoon: +32 15 55 11 11
Telefax: +32 15 55 06 01
[email protected]
www.belorta.be
