Northen European Report

Strawberry season 2002
Belgium and the Netherlands though two seperate countries are seen as one production area for strawberries. The techniques are the same and the export figures show a large voluem of inter trade between the two countries. The main variety is Elsanta but other varieties like Darselect, Lambada and ever bearers like Selva, Everest, and Diamante are followed with interest. With the glass hosue production the season started positively, prices were reasonable and the demand from Germany and the Netherlands was good. The outdoor season started promisingly with good plants, the season started early with relatively high production but with quality problems. During the pollination period the very unsettled cool weather resulted in a high percentage of mis-shapes (up to 50%). The summer has not been bad in the Netherlands or Belgium but spells of high temperatures followed by thunder storms caused considerable attention to be paid to quality during the season.

Export to the UK
During the early part of the season (including June) the export from the Netherlands was 20,000kg lower than the previous year. This was mainly caused by the lack of demand from the Uk although the Uk was still representing 45% of the export from the Netherlands. The UK was mainly focused on its own Elsanta production and Spanish imports. Running up to Wimbledon the expectations for highi volumes from Belgium and Netherlands for the UK market did not materialise.

Prices
At the beginning of the season prices for western European production had been relatively highi especially in comparison with cheaper production from Spain and Italy. The reason isi that we can see differentation in quality and shelf life. In the past the export from the Netherlands has been focussed on the UK market, as one of the better paying markets for a quality product. The Spanish production has now been extended and the quality has improved which has resulted in the decrease of volume imported from the Netherlands to the UK at the beginning of the season.

Other markets have been growing, the consumption in Germany and Scandinavia has increased. The French market is relying more on imported product, the Belgian grower, having a more diverse customer group have had more profit from these developments in 2002 than the Dutch.

The Netherlands
Production over the last few years has been decreasing. The main influence is the high labour costs and the lack of temporary labour for harvesting. Glasshouse production has been increasing over recent years generating reasonable prices during the speing and good prices for the Autumn. In 2001 production was 35,000,000 kg of which 15,000 tonnes was glass hosue production. From the Dutch production, 16,000 tonnes has been exported.

Germany
Consumption in Germany has risen substantially over the past years. The German consume is 3.2kg per year. In comparison Dutch consumption is 2.0kg per head. This has been generated by low cost for imported Spanish product (taking 43% of Spains annual production), relatively cheap production in Germany and cheap offers from discounters. German production has been growing to a total in 2001 of 110,000 tonnes. Positive rules for temporary labour and Dutch growers who have been attracted to lower labour cost, cheap land, and less strict chemical usage have together with a good consumption created a positive influence on the rise in production. The average price low due to second year Elsanta production and a relatively big production of ever bearers. Germany has evolved from what was once a strawberry import country to an export player in some periods.

Belgium
This season the Dutch growers have been jealously looking at the Belgian prices that have been for most weeks higher than the Dutch. Reasons are the earlier mentioned more differentiated sales markets, a clearer marketing strategy and more recognisable grading. This has led to more interest from Dutch growers to market their product in Belgium. Looking at all the various grading, including class two the price difference is smaller but still the Belgian auctions have been achieving better prices. The statistics shows a big inte trade between Belgium and The Netherlands.

Raspberries
The consumption of raspberries has been increasing over the past years. This has resulted in good prices throughout the year. In the UK, the consumption has doubled and in the Netherlands, consumers pick a punnet of raspberries in a supermarket more often than a punnet of strawberries. The influence of cooking programmes on television, cooking magazines and eating out has made the consumer aware of the possiblities of using raspberries. it is to be expected that there will be a growth in production. Growers see the possibility to have a quality product that is available after the Southern European season until the end of October. The developments that have worked for redcurrants and blackberries can be applied to raspberries; good quality from protected production, available for a long period in the year.

Autumn 2002