After a dynamic Dutch sprouts season, Fresh2You has now fully switched back to sprouts from Moroccan cultivation as of this week. "This weekend, we sold the last UK sprouts. We always use these to bridge the period between the Netherlands and Morocco, but due to the extended availability of Dutch sprouts, we started slightly later this year and also continued with UK sprouts for longer," says Fresh2You's Menno Molenaar.
The company supplies Moroccan sprouts until the end of July or early August, when the Dutch season resumes. For the upcoming Dutch season, Menno expects a reduction in acreage. "After this difficult season, cuts will be made across the board. I expect around 10 per cent fewer sprouts to be planted. Quite a few hectares are being withdrawn, including by larger growers, reducing their acreage. Production costs are rising sharply, and risks are increasing. When that is not reflected in returns, growers draw their conclusions. I also believe this is a necessary first step towards restoring a healthier market."
For the Moroccan season, the outlook is positive. "At the start of the season, we had ample supply, but currently we are seeing a temporary dip, while demand remains high. Growing conditions in Morocco have been quite favourable. There was much more rainfall last autumn and winter, meaning water reserves are sufficient and previous shortages are far less acute," Menno explains. "Moroccan sprouts are also gaining broader market acceptance. Countries that traditionally maintained fixed shelf assortments are now increasingly including Moroccan sprouts."
However, there is no sign of rapid expansion in Moroccan sprouts acreage. At Fresh2You, the planted area has remained largely unchanged this year. "You do not see the same rapid growth in open-field vegetables as in fruit or fruiting vegetables, where yields are significantly higher," Menno says. "Growing vegetables speculatively in Africa is therefore a thing of the past. We agree on prices and volumes with our customers in advance. If there are no confirmed sales, there is no production."
For more information:
Menno Molenaar
Fresh2You
Transportweg 19
2991 LV Barendrecht
Tel: +31 (0) 6 5325 2597
[email protected]
www.fresh2you.nl
