The upcoming fall in production in Central European countries, such as the Netherlands, because of the increase in gas prices is expected to lead to an increase in purchases of Spanish fruits and vegetables that will boost their prices.
"This production situation in the Netherlands began before the war," stated Andres Gongora, the head of COAG's fruit and vegetable sector. "We've been paying attention to what's going to happen because the Netherlands has rationed its gas, including for agriculture. The information is not very clear, and there is not much transparency. We know that their cogeneration greenhouses have gas, but they have already reduced their production, and we think things will continue this way in the coming months," he added.
"The producers there are also marketers," Gongora stated. "They want to purchase fruits and vegetables here because they have commitments with their customers. They are more than just farmers. We are talking about entities as if we were talking about Spanish cooperatives, but it's not similar," the head of COAG stated.
"There are Dutch people who have always made contracts with producers in Almeria and Murcia." In addition, the supply chains also need provisions. "The supermarkets of Central Europe, such as Lidl, Aldi, and Carrefour, are also stocking up. We'll sell more. This winter, our campaign will be good," he concluded.
Prices that already show an upward trend
Prices, in fact, are already on the rise. Zucchini prices have experienced one of the most outstanding increases. They went from 0.33 euros per kilo at origin last year to 0.84 euros at the end of October this year, according to COAG. Green peppers have increased by 60%, red peppers by 25%, cucumbers by 13%, and salad tomatoes by 16%. However, it's worth noting that production costs have also skyrocketed for Spanish producers in the last year, not just for Dutch producers.
Source: eldiario.es