Market and harvest reports january 2024

In the North, the problems started in September when cauliflower ripened much earlier than normal, creating a problematic overlap with the beans and baby carrot harvest.
The problems were increasing with the exceptional rainfalls of mid October. In Ardooie, we got 555mm (corresponds to 8 months of rainfall) between the 15th of October and the start of January. In these conditions, harvest was often impossible, and many crops were still in the ground, exposed to deep frosts during the second week of January. As a result, we had this year the worst harvest of Brussels sprouts, with a lack of more than 30% of the volume. The impact and losses on carrots are even bigger. A huge amount  of our baby carrots and other carrots are expected to be lost or destroyed by floods and frosts. The other winter crops like celeriac, salsify, and leek will of course also be impacted. Of Farmer’s memory, this is the worst winter season ever in the region… Unfortunately, 2023 is also the year with the highest global consumption of charcoal, petrol and gas ever, meaning that this trend will continue faster and faster… 

In South Europe, the end of the peppers season suffered from the early rainfalls after a difficult season affected by the extreme temperatures of the summer. As a result, we are missing about 20% of the volume. The warm and rainy conditions of October/November were unfortunately not perfect for the development of Alternaria and Botrytis in broccoli. The first part of the season was very bad in Spain and Portugal. The second part of the broccoli season is hopefully less impacted, but there will for sure be a lack of volume in the market. 

The good news is coming from our herbs factories, were most of the annual species have been successful. The selection of new resistant varieties and the implementation of new growing techniques seems to be fruitful and promising for the coming seasons!