After the start of the harvest with smaller quantities a few weeks ago, the vegetable island of Reichenau is now fully entering the new lettuce season. "From calendar weeks 10-11, we expect to be able to supply the food retail sector with fresh greenhouse lettuces across the board," reports Christian Müller, deputy managing director at Reichenau-Gemüse eG. Germany's southernmost cooperative is primarily dedicated to the cultivation and distribution of head lettuce, lollo rosso, oak leaf lettuce, and lollo bionda.
The first small quantities of lettuce were ready for harvest as early as the last week of January. From calendar week 7 onwards, the first quantities could then be delivered to regional food retailers, according to Müller. "In particular, February was relatively low in light, which is why there was a lack of growth in some cases. Nevertheless, the unit weights and qualities of the early lettuce have been quite convincing so far." Larger harvest volumes at the start of the season are not necessarily an advantage either. "It's always a double-edged sword: last year, for example, we had a little more light and correspondingly more growth, which led to increased harvest and price pressure. All in all, 2024 was rather an unsatisfactory lettuce year, while this year's omens have been quite good so far."
The first greenhouse lettuce campaigns will take place directly after Carnival, from calendar weeks 10-11. The marketing window for greenhouse lettuce is concentrated at the end of February and in March until the start of the outdoor harvest in the Palatinate and on the Filderebene. Pictured: organic vegetable grower Egino Wehrle.
On the vegetable island, around 80 hectares of open land and 40 hectares of greenhouses are cultivated. On the mainland, there are about 18 hectares of open land and 14 hectares of greenhouses. Traditionally, greenhouse lettuce marks the start of the new vegetable season. "From our growers' perspective, it is very important to get off to a good start to the new year, hopefully with some money coming into the grower's coffers. In this respect, a good lettuce harvest contributes significantly to the mood at the grower level," Müller points out.
In the coming weeks, almost a million heads of crisp lettuce will be harvested, along with around 600,000 heads of lollo bionda (pictured), as well as the popular varieties lollo rosso and oak leaf. The lettuce heads weigh around 350 grams each and are mainly packed loose in reusable crates (Ifco or EPS).
Structural reorganization on the horizon
The ongoing cost increases are also having a corresponding impact on the member companies of Reichenau-Gemüse eG, Müller further confirms. "We are observing a slight shift in cultivation, as there is generally less of an attempt to accelerate the cultivation process to get to market earlier. In this respect, we have noticed that the companies are already trying to save energy wherever possible. Due to the difficult revenue situation and other reasons, some companies are also closing down, so a gradual structural adjustment is taking place within the cooperative. However, the cultivation volumes for lettuce have remained relatively constant to date."
Lollo bionda instead of Novita
Over the years, the cooperative's lettuce portfolio has been deliberately limited to the three types mentioned above. However, there are a few varieties within each product segment. Müller: "Our growers rely on stable, relatively fast-growing and resistant varieties. The range of varieties is constantly being developed in close consultation with the advisory service and the breeders. One crucial development was the switch from Novita to lollo bionda four years ago. In particular, the stability and longer shelf life of lollo bionda, a mix of oak leaf and Batavia persuaded us to go down this route, and to date, we have been extremely satisfied with the results in cultivation," he concludes.
Photo credit: Reichenau-Gemüse eG
For more information:
Christian Müller
Reichenau-Gemüse eG
Marktstraße 1
78479 Reichenau
Tel +49 (0) 7534 9200-31
ch.mueller@reichenaugemuese.de
www.reichenaugemuese.de