In the Netherlands, leek harvesting is well underway at Bij Van den Elzen Groentenverwerking. "The leeks' quality is good," says salesman Gijs van den Oever, "though we're harvesting fewer kilos than other years. Spring was cold and wet, so it took some doing to get everything nicely planted and on time. Hopefully, the new crop's demand and price will reflect that."
"There's enough demand for the supply we have. The high energy prices most likely mean fewer leeks will go into cold storage than in other years. That will make a difference. Also, fewer leeks have been planted because, with all the costs and the uncertainty of free market yields, leeks are becoming an increasingly risky crop. But the market should be fairly stable, thanks to the lower supply," explains Gijs.
"Recently, many vegetables were in somewhat short supply, but there were always leeks. Now those other vegetables' availability is increasing again. Prices have, thus, dipped slightly, but I hope the market will rebound. Leeks' prices have been steady above a euro for quite a long time. These days, it's just below that. That, however, is no indication of what's to come," Gijs continues.
"The chilly weather is great for consumption. Last year, we had to irrigate because of the dry weather, and at 30°C, nobody thinks about leeks. So, for sales, this is wonderful." Van den Elzen has more than 200 hectares of leeks. "We also planted a little less this year, but I think everyone's being cautious after the past three years. Still, we're ready to give full throttle again for the next three years," Gijs concludes.
For more information:
Gijs van den Ooever
Van den Elzen
21 Duifhuizerweg
5406, TB Uden, NL
Tel: +31 (0) 413 782 999
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.prei.nu