"EU: "Prices French cauliflower too low based on volume "

Jeroen Bosschaert active for fifteen years as exporter at Le Dauphin in French Brittany, known for the export of cauliflower, artichokes, mini-vegetables and shallots. According to the Dutch exporter in France the supply of cauliflower has been very limited the last ten days. "The prices are at the moment reasonable, but really too low on the basis of numbers."

Jeroen Bosschaart with artichokes

Especially the competition from Spain is considerable at the moment, according to the exporter. "The Spanish supply is bigger than other years. I am under the impression that more is grown than a few years ago. We also notice that there is a lot more competition from Spanish cauliflower on the British market. There is less cauliflower from Italy as a result of weather conditions and that we notice for instance with German buyers, who especially now arrive in Brittany."

Germany is, according to Jeroen, the most important in the area of export. "This is already the case from the start of the season. Especially early in the year there were many promotions in German supermarkets and that was good. "Not everything is of high quality, but what does one want? We had a double quantity of rain with effect from September."

"Each season has its own surprises in this way. Last year we had problems with small leaves growing on the heads of the largest cauliflower variety and now we have problems with the weather again. All in all the first months of the season were not very good. How the season will develop further is in a big way dependent on the weather. In the meantime production is good. The head start in the cultivation has been overtaken by the colder weather of the last fourteen days, but if we still experience a late period of frost the season will again look completely different."

For more information:
Jeroen Bosschaart
Le Dauphin
ZI des Carmes - BP 62
29250 Sant Pol de Leon
Tel: 0033-298692622
[email protected]
www.ledauphin.fr