In the Netherlands, the open-field vegetable season at Freeland is proceeding somewhat quietly. "Dutch onion exports aren't particularly strong at the moment. Prices are good, but there's not an overwhelming demand yet. Also, the quality is what you'd expect two months from now. We do, however, anticipate considerable demand for Egyptian onions," says Jordi van den Bosch.
"There was already significant interest in those onions at the trade show in Berlin, so we're currently preparing for that. Everything now depends on the export stop. This season, though, we'll have a nice volume of Egyptian onions available in all sizes again, also in the organic variant. If desired, we can send containers directly from Egypt, too."
The Egyptian scallion season at Freeland is nearing its end. "This year's sales have been good. Prices are okay, and we've had a good supply available this year, though demand sometimes lags. The question is always when the German season will start. They invariably say they have them early, but the start often turns out to be later. We, thus, keep a close eye on things to ensure the seasons transition smoothly," Jordi explains.
"We're also getting inquiries for carrots, but no one dares export Dutch ones, so we're sourcing some from Egypt. The wet weather has affected the leek supply too. We hear that, in the Netherlands, growers are even harvesting by hand, so that's going back in time. If this situation continues, it will likely result in higher prices."
"Spanish cauliflower is being offered at lower prices, but French cauliflower is slightly pricier. The protest actions haven't impacted us, but our customers say they didn't load because they weren't sure if the products would arrive on time," Jordi continues.
"We had a fairly calm pumpkin season. There's little import available. However, we're doing cultivation trials in various countries." Freeland used to also sell more sweet potatoes, but they have put the brakes on that. "With those, everyone seems to jump in when the market is good," says Van den Bosch. "But then, you can't give away the less common sizes."
With its organic branch, Freeland Organics primarily supplies organic onions and pumpkins. "Where possible, we try to expand the package. This year, for example, we're receiving nice quantities of Egyptian organic onions. We consider the organic sector a diesel engine; sales don't take off immediately, but there's undoubtedly a long-term future," Jordi concludes.
For more information:
Jordi van den Bosch
Freeland
126 Nijbracht
7821 CE, Emmen, The Netherlands
Tel.: +31 (0) 591 670 570
[email protected]
www.freeland.nl