There will be a shortage of vegetables on the German market. According to a large distributor of vegetables in Rheinland-Pfalz this is due to the extreme weather this summer, and farmers have to cope with lower yield and quality problems. The market and the prices are tense, especially for greenhouse crops. “We don’t expect a surplus from German greenhouse harvest on the market this year,” explains the spokesperson of the distributor.
"It is a common problem"
The summer left its mark on the German crops too. “The problem is not limited to specific vegetable varieties, but is a common problem,” states the expert. “We have to deal with the consequences of the drought and heat just as in other European countries.” While clearly lower vegetable supplies reach the market from the Netherlands, the Spanish struggle with very disappointing quality especially of bell peppers and tomatoes.
In particular the insufficient quality limits the producers to sell the crops on the market. “The quality we expect from our suppliers can’t be delivered at the moment. So the supply is extremely limited,” continues the spokesperson.
Trouble continues in winter
“2015 was an exceptional year, concerning the heat and drought,” explains the specialist. “We expect problems in the winter with stored crops. The availability will probably remain limited.”