The German market is vital to the Dutch vegetable sector. This was reported by Jan Kees Boon of Fruit & Vegetable Facts. Of the total export value of fresh vegetables from Holland ( incl. re-export) of an estimated 4.3 billion Euro in 2012, the trade to Germany (1.65 billion Euro) has a share of just under 40%. Of the export of exclusively Dutch fresh vegetables, which had a size of 2.64 million tonnes according to the KCB, 760,000 tonnes (30%) went to Germany. Excl. onions the share of the sales of fresh vegetables to Germany is over 40%.
Germany is Europe's vegetable market. In total Germany imports around 3 million tonnes of fresh vegetables, with a value of around 3.5 billion Euro annually. Its own domestic (trade) production is around 3.7 million tonnes. Most of this is open ground cultivation. The production of this is increasing a little every year. The covered cultivation in Germany is smaller, just under 150,000 tonnes. Germany also exports fresh vegetables, but the amount has decreased a little each year, to 440,000 tonnes in 2012. All in all around 6.7 million tonnes of fresh vegetables are traded in Germany annually.
Extensive cultivations
In the German production three mostly extensive crops dominate: carrots, white cabbage and onions. This top 3 makes up 43% of the total production. The carrot harvest reached an absolute peak in 2012, with an amount of almost 600,000 tonnes. The onion harvest was slightly smaller in 2012 compared to the record harvest of the previous year. The same goes for the harvest of white cabbage. At a distance, with a production of 100 to 200,000 tonnes, come products such as marquetry cucumber, iceberg lettuce, cauliflower, red cabbage, leek, spring onions and asparagus. Figures from the German bureau of statistics also show that many products had a larger harvest in 2012 than in previous years. The harvest of the main covered cultivation products, tomatoes and cucumbers, on the other hand, was smaller last year.
Import: 3.5 billion Euro
Last year, the import of fresh vegetables in Germany fell 6% behind the numbers in the two previous years, according to the latest figures, and has fallen just under 3 million tonnes. The import has a value of a small 3.5 billion Euro, of which 1.3 billion Euro for import from Holland. Of the total import amount, 2.95 million tonnes in 2012, 1.11 million was from Holland. This is according to figures from the German bureau of statistics (Statistisches Bundesambt, SBa). According to this source the import from Holland was 5% smaller than in 2011, and compared to 2010 the difference was 2% behind that in 2011 and compared to 2010 the difference was -13% (table 2). The KCB figures for the export to Germany are at a considerable lower level than those according to SBa figures for import from Holland. The difference can be explained by re-export, but in general the SBa gives figures on the country of origin, however this cannot always be traced.
Tomatoes and cucumbers
Tomatoes and cucumbers are the most important import products in Germany. Together they are worth over 40% of the total. Both products are also at the top of the import from Holland. According to import figures from the German bureau of statistics Holland's share in these products is half. For the import from Holland carrots are the third product and peppers are the fourth. Of the import from Holland, a third ends up in the bordering Bundesland Nordrhein-Westfalen. Of the total German import NRW is worth 31%.
Spain second supplier
Besides Holland, Spain is the second most important supplier for Germany. For the import from Spain, cucumber is the main product, with tomatoes as a second, whilst pepper is the third large product. The import from Spain was almost 10% smaller in 2012 than in 2011, when import reached a peak.
