The strawberry season has been over for some time at the Demedts-Demey nursery. "We picked the last Elsanta strawberries around December 20. Afterward, we harvested a few small strawberries, but that was it. Now, we're waiting until mid-March, when we can start harvesting our own strawberries again," explains Benoit Demedts from the nursery in the Flemish town of Gits.
Benoit wrapped up the season a bit earlier than expected. "I'm not entirely sure why. The yields were slightly lower than in previous years. November was also very dark, and since we didn't use lighting, we harvested fewer berries. Elsanta tends to go into stress quickly, so November wasn't a great month for quality. That said, we can't complain overall. Prices were good, and I think we can look back at the last few months of 2024 with satisfaction."
The grower does note that the extreme production peaks have disappeared. "In previous years, we planted full greenhouses in autumn, which resulted in high autumn yields. However, since last year, we've focused on everbearers. I think other growers had the same idea, and this was reflected in the price levels. The peaks are gone, and everything is much more evenly spread. To maintain continuity, we're planting different systems and sections at staggered times. This way, if one area experiences a dip, another can make up for it. It's still a bit of an experiment, but we'll definitely continue because you can achieve the same or even higher yields with fewer plants. In our operation, everbearers really add value. It's a different way of growing, but it's something you have to learn."
While the supply was flat and stable during autumn, Benoit was pleased with the demand. "Yes, demand was good. It was especially busy around Christmas. We didn't have much left at that point and had to source a considerable amount from a fellow grower who uses exposed crops. Since then, demand has stabilized, and we continue to purchase from colleagues every week. We never actually stock Spanish strawberries. Customers don't want them. We find that our customers are willing to pay a bit more for high-quality Belgian strawberries, and they aren't even very expensive at the moment—around €2.50 for a box of smaller sizes and €5.50 for the larger strawberries. That's acceptable for us. Of course, growers always wish for more, but it's reasonable."
For Benoit, the focus now shifts to the next crop, which he expects around March. "We're busy planting again. Last week, we started with Rendez-Vous, and this week we're planting Karima. Depending on the weather, we anticipate having our own volumes again by mid-March. In addition, we'll begin raspberry production in February, so the busyness is slowly but surely picking up for us."
For more information:
Benoit Demedts
Nursery Demedts - De Mey
Middenstraat 97z
8830 Gits, Belgium
Tel: +32 479 69 08 67
benoitdemedts@gmail.com
www.demedts-demey.be