Tomato prices rose for the second week in a row on the VBT clocks last week. The increase suits the time of year. Traditionally, prices rise in September. Middle prices in week 37 are well above the five-year average. The same remains true for cucumber.
The average price for tomatoes in week 37 at the auctions within the Verbond van Belgische Tuinbouwoöperaties (Federation of Belgian Horticultural Cooperatives) came out at over 1.53 euro per kilo for loose tomatoes and over 1.66 euro per kilo for vine tomatoes. In both cases, the average price was twice as high as in the past two years.
Average tomato prices up to week 36. In week 37, the average price further exceeds the five-year average.
The average price for cucumber in week 37 comes to just over 68 euro cents each. Last year, the same week saw a low point, when the average price stood at just over 26 euro cents, well below the five-year average.
Among peppers, the high price for yellow peppers is particularly striking. A kilo of yellow peppers yields more than double the price of a kilo of green or red peppers. Yellow comes out at just over 2.07 euro over week 37. Red at 97 euro cents and green at 99 euro cents.
The aubergine price has not continued to rise for the first time in weeks but remains at a high price level of 2.25 euro. The price for green courgettes does continue to rise, to 63.5 euro cents each.
In soft fruit, it is notable that the average price is almost the same as in week 36. A kilo of strawberries went for an average of 4.62 euro per kilo. Elsanta fetched an average price of just over 5.06 euro per kilo. Prices for raspberries (8.77 euro per kilo in week 37) and blackberries (9.69 euro per kilo) continued to rise slightly.
The above chart comes from the Flemish Department of Agriculture and Fisheries' agriculture figures page. View all VBT figures for week 37 for fruit and vegetables here.