The median price for aubergines and tomatoes continued to climb last week on the VBT clocks. With this, tomato prices shot back above the five-year average after a difficult August month. Cucumber prices have been well above that average for weeks. For peppers, prices are less extreme.
The average price rose in week 36, both for loose tomatoes and vine tomatoes. A kilo of loose tomatoes came out at over 1.11 euros. A similar average price was last recorded in mid-April. The average price for vine tomatoes also rose. Over week 36, the average price paid for a kilo was over 85 euro cents. Here too, the average price rises above the five-year average, but similar price levels were also achieved in week 29 and well into May. A look at the supplied volumes attached to the chart shows that they are lower than the past two seasons and also well below last week.
Cucumber prices have been high for weeks. We can see that there has been no summer dip now that the meteorological autumn has arrived and the school holidays are over. With a unit price of around 60 euro cents over week 36, prices are well above the five-year average. Only 2015, 2017, and 2018 can compete with such high price levels in week 36.
Pepper price formation has been laborious throughout 2022. A peak price was recorded in mid-August, but then the price fell back to around the five-year average. Over week 36, a kilo yielded an average of €1.26. The average price for red is below that, at over 94 euro cents. The price here dropped slightly compared to week 35. Yellow and green are better paid and show a slight price increase compared to week 35.
The aubergine price has been on the rise for weeks, and again in week 36, it came in slightly above the middle price. On average, a kilo yielded over €2.36, up from €2.16 in week 35.
Most lettuce prices dropped last week, except for the average price for iceberg lettuce. If we then also take a quick look at soft fruit, we see there that the average price fell slightly across the board. Elsanta is still the best paid. The raspberry price, after falling in week 35, is back to the price level of week 34.
The above charts are from the Flemish Department of Agriculture and Fisheries' agriculture figures page. See all VBT figures for week 36 for fruit and vegetables here.