“Cultivar Elsanta declining steadily: Egyptian strawberries on empty market”

“The volumes of greenhouse strawberries from the cultivar Elsanta are declining much earlier and more steadily than in previous years, due to the exceptionally warm September weather. For many cultivators, the harvest started more than two weeks earlier than usual, peaked in week 39, and will also turn out to be much smaller. Fortunately, the significantly higher prices per kilogram will result in satisfying returns for our cultivators this autumn,” says Sjraar Hulsman from The Greenery.

“We do see differences between cultivators who have planted either early or late. Since last week, we have been seeing prices between 9 and 12 euro per kilogram for the main sortings at auctions in the Netherlands and Belgium, but the finer sortings are also sold at fairly good prices. The current low plant loads ensure that quality, flavour and sugar levels are very good,” Hulsman continues.

“The continuation of the Dutch greenhouse season will be from illuminated cultivation. Our cultivators will slowly start in the coming weeks, and will be in full production with their Winter-Exquise strawberries before Christmas. From then, they will continually produce until the start of the new Sonata and Elsanta cultivations in late-March and the beginning of April,” Hulsman says. The cultivators of The Greenery were pioneers in the field of the illuminated strawberry cultivation, and are very careful about the good name their brand enjoys with customers in the more luxurious segment of customers in the Benelux, Scandinavia, France and the Middle East. “Winter-Exquise strawberries are known for their perfect quality and high brix levels. The strawberries have bite and flavour, which consumers expect from Dutch strawberries.”

“Our Egyptian cultivators indicate they will start sending some product at the end of this week. Cultivation circumstances have been good this year, and the first strawberries harvested are picture-perfect. We have been streamlining the logistical lines in recent years, which is why we see a visible improvement in quality and shelf life for our customers. The strawberries are delivered in the Netherlands within a day, after which they are checked for quality, provided with a label if desired, and sent on to our retail and wholesale customers in the Netherlands, Germany and Scandinavia. These strawberries will enter an almost empty market this year, and we have high hopes. Egyptian strawberries will probably be available until the end of February in 10x250, 10x500 and 12x400 grammes,” Hulsman concludes.