Mts. Teeuwen from Helden had grown countless vegetables over the course of the years before starting with parsnip around nine years ago. Now the company has grown to one of the largest growers for the fresh market with an area of 25 hectares of parsnips. As of this week the new harvest will be marketed in a new box
"We harvest the parsnip fresh from the land throughout the year. The most important thing in a relatively small cultivation such as that of parsnip is that you can organise the sales. Growing on an off chance won't work," says Geert Teeuwen. "We supply to domestic wholesalers and exporter throughout the country. We grow in the Netherlands for ten months a year and buy from Spain two month a year so that we can supply parsnips all year round.
According to Geert the demand for new parsnips has started well. "Due to the bad weather in many parts of Europe there has been quite a lot of damage in the cultivation. We also had a lot of rain, but grow on high sandy ground and got off well. A lot of water isn't usually a problem for us. We just started harvesting, but the yield looks good and the first harvests are good in price."
Parsnip can also take advantage of an increasing popularity. "Every year the demand for parsnip rises. We supply to a lot of suppliers of supermarkets, but parsnip is also popular in catering. An advantage is that the parsnip is a reasonably stable item price wise. We don't have to move it every day," says Geert. "The cultivation of some smaller scale products suits us. We add to the cultivation of parsnip with that of asparagus and black round radish and white radish."
Parsnip can also take advantage of an increasing popularity. "Every year the demand for parsnip rises. We supply to a lot of suppliers of supermarkets, but parsnip is also popular in catering. An advantage is that the parsnip is a reasonably stable item price wise. We don't have to move it every day," says Geert. "The cultivation of some smaller scale products suits us. We add to the cultivation of parsnip with that of asparagus and black round radish and white radish."
Mts. Teeuwen - as of this year also Graspp and BRC certified, as well as GlobalGAP - does have competition, but in the Netherlands the cultivation is mainly aimed at the organic cultivation and the industry. "There is quite a lot of English parsnip on the market. But our quality is no less. To bring a more recognisable product onto the market we have developed our own box at customer request. It is a black box with a fluorescent green logo. The buyers are very enthusiastic. Now we have to hope customers come back to the product!"
For more information:
Mts. Teeuwen
Hazenakkerweg 6
5988 NJ Helden
Mob: 0031 (0) 6-27311025
info@teeuwentelers.nl
For more information:
Mts. Teeuwen
Hazenakkerweg 6
5988 NJ Helden
Mob: 0031 (0) 6-27311025
info@teeuwentelers.nl