"This season, prices in the Brussels sprouts market are at a good level," says André Noordhoek of Noordhoek Agro in Bleiswijk. "Yields are slightly lower than we're used to, but the prices make up for it. B-grade sprouts are selling for around eight cents, while A-grade is going for 65-70 cents."
"Demand has generally been quite strong. Now that the autumn break has started, we see an immediate drop, which always happens during school holidays. For consistent Brussels sprouts consumption, it's best when kids are in school," André adds. "The timing of the lower demand isn't ideal, as many growers are just about to harvest more and increase picking speed. It would be better to ease back a little now."
"This year's challenging planting season delayed us by about a month, and we're seeing the effects now. As a result, we have a slightly younger crop, but the quality looks very good. We're currently harvesting the larger varieties, and I expect most of them will be harvested within two weeks, potentially leading to a shortage of B-grade sprouts."
Noordhoek is a member of The Greenery for his crops, though he handles sales for fellow growers independently. In addition to green sprouts, he has a small volume of purple sprouts available. "We have a few customers for these, but it's all contract work. I don't see much room to expand in that area. After Christmas, purple sprouts often end up being discarded."
For more information:
André Noordhoek
Noordhoek Agro
Groendalseweg 8
2665LH Bleiswijk
+31 (0)6 22 23 37 04
[email protected]