In the Netherlands, the cold weeks after the New Year and the snowfall that followed caused considerable disruption; the situation in Belgium appears less severe. The snowfall did create some challenges for hauliers, but the cold weather seems to have had a positive effect on winter vegetable sales. "Particularly here in the west of the country, it was not too bad. Some snow did fall, but compared to the Netherlands, it was limited. Temperatures have not really dropped below minus two degrees, which has actually been positive," says organic grower Pieter Vandooren.
© Pieter Vandooren
"Indeed, in recent weeks we saw a clear increase in demand, mainly for organic leeks," continues the grower from Hooglede, where leeks, celeriac, and pumpkin are currently selling well. "Consumers tend to buy more in advance, which was immediately visible in sales. We do not notice much of this in terms of prices, because we work on contract, but prices rose sharply, especially in conventional. The combination of lower supply due to the holidays and strong demand driven by winter weather pushed mainstream prices above one euro within a week. There has been no real production damage, however, so the lower supply will not last long. Once the workforce returns, new volumes will come onto the market. I therefore expect this price increase to be short-lived and a temporary spike."
"Remarkable, actually, because it is not as if everyone has very high production levels this year. It is really variable. For us, you could say it is average, but I know colleagues with strong leek crops and others with weaker ones. Overall, it is not an exceptionally high yield, so the fact that prices have been low throughout the season remains striking. Quality is also not too bad. There were some problems with thrips in the Nunton variety, but since last week, we have started with Rapton, and it is holding up much better."
© Pieter Vandooren
Tricky pumpkin market
Looking at the other outdoor vegetables, the challenging pumpkin market in particular stands out. "Celeriac is moving well. Butternut is also performing fine, but Hokkaido is very difficult this year. Almost nothing has been sold on the free market in recent months, so I fear some volumes will end up being composted. That is tricky, because in organic production, you really need to have your marketing well organised, and with pumpkins, this is not yet fully in place. In a year with good production, you then end up facing these kinds of problems, unfortunately."
Area expansion
The company is also engaged in expanding its acreage. This year's oversupply of vegetables did not stop Pieter from doing so. "No, land came up for sale and, given the current situation in terms of available space, you should not hesitate. Last year, there were large volumes of almost all vegetables, but next year it could be completely different. In addition, we still see growers switching back from organic to conventional, so the market will recover. I have always learned that you have to make your own choices and not constantly follow the market."
© Pieter Vandooren
In the end, it will take some time before the additional ten per cent can really be put to use. "You are always dealing with the 24-month conversion period, because available land is almost always still conventional. These parcels are therefore still in conversion this year and will only supply fully organic produce from 2027. This year, the expansion does not really count yet, but it is a deliberate investment with a view to the future. Organic cultivation continues to evolve and requires time and forward thinking."
For more information:
Pieter Vandooren
Yokkerstraat 6
8830 Hooglede, Belgium
Tel: +32 472292756
[email protected]
