Obst- und Gemüsezentrale Rhein-Main eG was already able to offer its customers the first German-grown runner beans in week 27. "We started the season around two weeks earlier than usual and were then able to offer good quantities for around ten to twelve days without interruption. After that, however, there was an abrupt gap in marketing, which in turn was due to crop failures caused by flooding and high levels of rainfall. Due to the holidays, the current supply quantities from regional cultivation are higher than the demand," says Sales Manager Marcel Wefers with regard to the weaker marketing situation. If the weather plays along, German runner beans can usually be offered to food retailers until the beginning of October.
The sales cooperative has also been offering fresh regional sweetcorn since mid-July. In contrast to many other crops, there have been no weather-related losses here, says Wefers. "Sales, on the other hand, have been quite volatile so far and therefore impossible for us sellers to plan. Generally speaking, demand across Germany is not even that low, as the weather means that fields are always lost in the individual regions, which is why goods are always needed somewhere. Despite the fluctuations already mentioned, there is always a certain basic demand. Apart from that, we try to push promotions when several batches come onto the market in bulk." The supply of fresh sweetcorn usually comes to an end by mid-September. OGZ then offers its food retail customers vacuum-packed sweetcorn.
In addition to beans, sweetcorn and pumpkins, OGZ is also responsible for marketing regionally produced strawberries, asparagus and onions.
Pumpkin harvest expected to exceed last year's level
Meanwhile, the first pumpkins were also harvested at the beginning of August. According to initial forecasts, this year's harvest will be plentiful. "Last year's harvest was well below expectations, but this year we can expect fewer losses and therefore a harvest in line with expectations. In addition to the standard Hokkaido pumpkin, we are also marketing butternut, Halloween and ornamental pumpkins. In the case of Hokkaido, organic produce now predominates, and we only trade smaller quantities of conventional produce." Interest in edible pumpkins is still rather restrained. "Only from September, when it gets a little more autumnal, does demand gradually increase," concludes Wefers.
For more information:
Marcel Wefers
Obst- und Gemüsezentrale Rhein-Main eG
Raiffeisenstr. 2
64347 Griesheim
Tel.: +49 6155-8398-16
Fax: +49 6155-7808-962
Email: [email protected]
www.ogz.de