After a quiet start, the September pricing season is slowly but surely beginning to loosen up. "We are nearing the end of the summer season. We still have some greenhouse vegetables in the assortment, but we are moving on to new leeks, which are traditionally our main product. At the same time, cabbages and celeriac are also starting to take over again," says Charlotte Buyck of Calsa.
"August was a difficult month, though," she continues. "The leeks were already available, but marketing was still very challenging. At the beginning of September, things started to turn around a little. It became cooler and rainier, and we immediately saw an increase in demand. Supermarkets also adjust their shelves around that time, gradually bringing winter vegetables more into focus. Moreover, consumers turn to leeks more quickly with colder temperatures anyway. Until last week, supply was still limited, but now everyone is starting to prepare, so we hope that the busyness in the market will continue to increase in the coming period."
So, after a difficult start, demand is now picking up. "Especially in markets like France and Spain, demand is recovering well. They are attractive sales areas in this period, as they have increasingly struggled in recent years with high summer temperatures. That was again the case this summer, which means they tend to enter the market more in autumn. Now it remains to be seen whether demand can keep up with the emerging supply towards the end of the month. September is traditionally still a difficult month in terms of consumption, but in October, people really return to the market in large numbers for leeks. But it is obviously too early to say anything definitive about that now."
Imperfections
There are, however, some concerns about quality, the exporter from Ardooie, Flanders, points out. "It has obviously been a hot, dry summer, which, combined with the ever-shrinking crop protection toolbox, has led to weaker quality this season. Drought affects not only the leeks themselves but also the effectiveness of crop protection treatments. A few days of good rain would be very welcome, but that hasn't happened for a long time. We see this not only in Belgium, but also in neighbouring countries such as the Netherlands and France."
So does this worry Charlotte about the future? "It does. Also, for the future of certain varieties. Some varieties already perform better than others at different times of the year. For example, Krypton is less suitable in this period, so we are looking for varieties that are more resistant to weather extremes. We also expect breeders to be able to do a lot for us in this regard, but ultimately, consumers may also have to accept that, with current regulations, a product cannot always look perfect. It doesn't affect the taste, but it will be a matter of creating awareness."
In anticipation
© CALSA NVBesides leeks, with autumn approaching, other outdoor vegetables such as white cabbage and celeriac are also starting to increase again in Calsa's range. "Green celery will also continue until the end of November. Here we see fluctuating but rather low prices, while the product quality is actually very good. For white cabbage, there is currently a lot of supply, so prices are on the low side. With celeriac, we are still in the early harvest, but the main season will start in October. It also remains to be seen whether growth will continue. The plots where growers could not irrigate are currently lagging behind in growth. So the harvest might be later than normal," she explains.
"So what this will look like is still difficult to say. It is a volatile product because while prices have been quite high in recent years, there now seems to be a lot of supply. That could quickly tip the market. We will have to wait and see how it develops. After all, we remain dependent on nature, and an early frost can also change a lot, if not everything, that has not been harvested yet, making the situation completely different again. Of course, that also makes it interesting. Every year brings different challenges and unexpected developments."
A clearer picture will emerge for the Flemish exporter at the upcoming Fruit Attraction in Madrid, where they will once again exhibit. "Alongside Berlin, it has become a very important fair for us. It is a good opportunity to gauge the market and to meet both our existing and potential customers. Madrid has grown in recent years into the ideal place to efficiently meet many people in one place at this time of year."
© CALSA NV
Left: a grower from Calsa preparing the leeks, right: job student Aimé, who went along to the field to assess the quality
Calsa is an exhibitor at the Fruit Attraction in Madrid: hall 4, stand C-01.
For more information:
Charlotte Buyck
Calsa
Roeselaarsestraat 9b
8850 Ardooie, Belgium
Tel: +32 (0) 51 74 73 74
[email protected]
www.calsa.be