The leek market appears to be stabilizing again following a period of high prices at the end of the year, according to Benny Cuypers of BelOrta. "During the holidays, supply traditionally decreases because migrant workers go home, resulting in less staggered production. That is now beginning to recover," he explains.
"It led to some expensive weeks," he continues. "But now the market is performing quite well again. We've had a better week, and I expect supply to continue increasing in the coming weeks. With everyone back to work, more produce is reaching the market, and prices are gradually starting to drop. Combined with the colder weather ahead, there will be good sales. But that's usually the case with leeks. The first weeks of the new year are typically quite prosperous."
Lower chicory prices
In contrast, the chicory market is experiencing a different trend. "It's a marked shift from last year when significant issues with the new carrot harvest drove prices up dramatically," Benny explains. "This year, the carrot crop has gone well in Belgium, the Netherlands, and France, resulting in higher volumes. This has caused a downward price adjustment since early December."
"Leading up to the festive season, we had a tough week, but the retail situation overall is quite different from last year. Prices are lower, which will hopefully encourage more sales. Over the last few days, chicory has been selling at around one euro per kilo. That's reasonable, but still not great. I wouldn't call it 'good,' but I expect prices to remain at a similar level in the coming weeks. Of course, it's hard to predict further ahead, as the situation could change completely by February or March."
"Otherwise, all outdoor vegetables are performing reasonably well," Benny adds. "We're seeing stable supply and no significant fluctuations at the moment. For instance, we still have some cauliflowers in stock—some from open fields and some from greenhouses. Volumes are limited, but prices remain solid. We're also working a lot with savoy cabbage, where we're seeing good volumes and steady sales."
For more information:
Benny Cuypers
BelOrta
Mechelsesteenweg 120
B-2860 Sint-Katelijne-Waver, Belgium
Tel: +32 (0)15 55 11 11
[email protected]
www.belorta.be