The European Association for Fruit and Vegetable Growers reported that the constant high temperatures in Europe have caused one of the worst crises in the European fruit and vegetable industry in the last 40 years. The report states: "The production volume in many vegetable production areas dropped sharply as a result of constant high temperatures and dry weather. Farmers and vegetable producers face one of the worst crises in the last 40 years."
The Association stated that France, the Netherlands, Germany, England, Hungary, and Poland suffered the most. The influence of reduced supply volumes, hit frozen vegetable and canned vegetable enterprises hard, as supply was reduced and unpredictable. This has caused the cost price to rise, and the production volume of processing factories to fall. The Association did not predict whether the vegetable price would rise.
Data from the Association shows that 2018 is the third consecutive year in which the European fruit and vegetable industry faces weather-related difficulty. The production volume of garden peas and beans decreased by 20-50%. "Production areas in south Europe also suffered from strong storms (floodwater and hailstones). The onion harvest decreased by 15-50%; many production areas are unable to grow pumpkins, spinach, beans, and cauliflower because of the dry weather."
The reduced fruit and vegetable production volume in Europe may offer export opportunities for Chinese fruit and vegetable traders.
Partial source: Department of Commerce