Calm tomato production will give different spring market

"More Dutch tomatoes are slowly coming to the market, but productions are running behind compared to previous years, due to the changeable weather we've had," says Sjaak Verploegen of Scherpenhuizen. While the price of cucumbers and bell peppers started rising significantly in the past week, tomatoes lagged behind a little. Yesterday, auction prices of vine tomatoes in the Netherlands and Belgium were about 1 to 1.05 Euro.

"Good weather forecasts are always good for tomato consumption. But you often see that the first 'good' weekend is still no guarantee for good sales. People often go to the garden centre first, and they have a barbecue in the second sunny weekend," the tomato seller says. "High quality Spanish produce is found less and less often. Cherry, Santa and plum tomatoes are supplied almost year-round by Spain, but around this time of year supplies from Spain are somewhat less."

Sjaak is reasonably optimistic about the rest of the season. "If all clients who are now carrying Spanish produce would switch to Dutch tomatoes next week, we'd all have a shortage, but it always goes gradually. Normally, the switching period offers a challenge, but because of the calm production I'm expecting a different spring. The quality of the Dutch tomatoes is very good. Illuminated cultivation is on the rise in many segments, and quality-wise that's simply a top product. Demand for specialties is also ever increasing in tomato land, also from German retailers, and despite the situation Dutch horticulture is in, that brings along a lot of opportunities!"

For more information:
Sjaak Verploegen
Scherpenhuizen BV
De Keten 15
5651 GJ Eindhoven
s.verploegen@scherpenhuizen.nl
www.scherpenhuizen.nl