Many types of lettuce and other leafy vegetables are currently selling at high prices. Cold and wintery weather in southern production countries such as Spain and Italy caused low supply, and production is not at a high level in Belgium and the Netherlands either.
Lamb’s lettuce: 20 euro
Prices for various types of lettuce have been high for Veiling BelOrta all week already. “Lamb’s lettuce is selling at high prices, 20 euro per kilogram last Friday. Prices have been fairly high since the holidays, from 9 to 12 euro. Lamb’s lettuce does not have small volumes. Last Friday, 4,000 crates were supplied. Cultivators are naturally happy with these prices, and it is about time, for they have had times when it was not as good,” according to one trader. He continues: “I am under the impression that the prices have reached their peak. There is not much availability of anything at the moment, and they want to have everything that we do have available. Demand is high both domestically and abroad. For example, Switzerland’s borders are also open for lamb’s lettuce, so they are showing much interest. Germany also has good demand. Additionally, the southern production countries do not have much product available, if any at all. A product such as parsley sold for one euro per bundle at auction last Friday, while leek was around 2 euro per kilogram. Regular butterhead lettuce was around 90 to 95 cent for the heavier sortings earlier last week, but on Friday, prices normalised again, and they were around 70 cent. The prices for alternative types of lettuce is around 1.25 on average.”
Frits de Mooij: major problem still coming
Frits de Mooij from Vita Verde also confirmed supply of lettuce was limited. “Temperatures throughout Italy dropped to about minus seven degrees Celsius at night. During the day, temperatures are just above freezing.” He explains that the problem is that the lettuce does not grow. “Or it already freezes during the night because of the frost, causing it to be unsuitable.” Frits indicates prices for lamb’s lettuce are high. “The product is difficult to find, and sells for 10 euro per kilogram at the market of Padova in Northern Italy. Prices for baby spinach are also sky-rocketing.”
Dramatic
According to Frits, the major problems will start this week. “More cold and snow was expected throughout Italy this weekend. This will cause less cultivation in the south in particular, because they have more outdoor cultivation. Because of glazed frost, much has been lost already. Fields of fennel, parsley and dill were completely frozen. Radish is frozen in the ground, and wild spinach is covered in snow.” The greenhouse cultivation was also hit because of the snow. “It truly is dramatic. Because of the heavy snow, the plastic greenhouses, which are much used, have collapsed. The prospects are therefore not very favourable yet. Even if the snow melts away quickly, the causes will be felt much longer. As regards the types of lettuce, it will be at least 20 days until any new product can be expected.”
Import prices are soaring
According to a Belgian importer of lettuce and other leafy vegetables, prices are soaring. “The phones are ringing of the hook here, but unfortunately, we cannot supply much. We notice some Italians ask very high prices during these kinds of periods. We have heard of prices of 20 euros for certain products, much higher than regular prices. We do not participate in that. It is already a difficult period for everyone, why should we try to profit from this in such an extreme manner?”