From now on, the harvest of spring onions is in full swing again throughout the Gemüsegarten Pfalz. Traditionally, these are the first fresh vegetables to be grown outdoors in Germany. The very first spring onions from Germany's largest contiguous growing area for fresh vegetables were harvested at the beginning of March this year.
With a cultivation area of 2,000 to 2,500 hectares over the season, the Palatinate is the undisputed European champion in the growing of spring onions. From March to November, more than 350 million bunches of the local superfood are grown here, which benefits the security of supply in Germany. From now until fall, every day, spring onions will be harvested to order so that the specialized farms in the Gemüsegarten Pfalz can supply retailers and nationwide vegetable lovers with super-fresh spring onions every day.
© Gemüsegarten Pfalz Management GmbH
Sustainable freshness benefits for retailers and nationwide consumers
In contrast to foreign goods, which have to be transported thousands of kilometers and over several days from North Africa to Germany, spring onions from the Gemüsegarten Pfalz offer particularly sustainable quality and freshness benefits: Immediately after harvesting, the freshly harvested bunches are washed on site, cut to the desired marketing length, packed in reusable crates and then transported directly by refrigerated truck to the wholesale markets and distribution centers of supermarkets nationwide. "Normally, the freshly harvested spring onions are on the highway just a few hours after harvesting. Overnight, they arrive at the vegetable sections and are available at farmers' markets!" says Steffen Sahler, vegetable gardener and spring onion specialist from Dannstadt.
Domestic cultivation ensures freshness, security of supply, and consumer prices
The start of the harvest in the Palatinate region marks the end of the market- and price-dominating monopoly that foreign fresh vegetables from outdoor cultivation had during the winter months. Many consumers are unaware that the first vegetables from local outdoor cultivation are not only fresher and available in stores faster, but also ensure less dependence, more security of supply, and affordable consumer prices throughout the season. The fact that around 80 percent of German cultivation takes place in the particularly mild climate of the Palatinate underlines the special role and importance that the Gemüsegarten Pfalz – as a nationally unique "growth cluster" – plays for the sustainable supply of Germany with freshly harvested fruit and vegetables.
Additional costs and distortion of competition
Instead of promoting particularly healthy fruits and vegetables that are grown locally and sustainably in Germany, especially with a view to ensuring a secure supply, the political response for years has been precisely the opposite. Dr. Christian Stoermer, Managing Director of Gemüsegarten Pfalz Management GmbH, says: "A current example is the legally prescribed increase in the minimum wage to 12.82 euros as of January 1, 2025. Since the minimum wage also applies without exception to seasonal workers from other European countries who only work in Germany for a few weeks a year, usually receive board and lodging, and are therefore hardly affected by the high cost of living, this poses enormous economic and organizational challenges for fruit and vegetable growing in the Palatinate. Compared to other EU countries, where there are either no minimum wage limits at all or significantly lower ones, this leads to a massive distortion of competition!"
"The high-performing fruit and vegetable growing businesses in the Gemüsegarten Pfalz supply the food retail industry and consumers throughout Germany during the season with top quality and a selection that, in terms of freshness and sustainability, is only comparable to what people grow in their own gardens at home! It is obvious that domestic fruit and vegetable growing makes an important contribution to the security of supply and reasonable prices, for example by reducing dependence on foreign suppliers," he continues.
For more information:
http://www.gemuesegarten-pfalz.de/