In Belgium, harvesting the new head lettuce crop began at Devo-Fleur this week. "It looks great; there's plenty of demand and good market prices. But, with current costs and the volatile market, it's becoming increasingly difficult to plan ahead," says Mathias De Vestele.
Many Flemish cultivation companies struggle to find successors, and the average grower is aging. Devo-Fleur's future, however, seems guaranteed. Mathias' parents founded the business. Now, the 25-year-old and his brother Cedric (22) have taken over. Devo-Fleur has its origins in pot plant cultivation, to which it also owes its name.
Yet, since the brothers stepped in, the company increasingly focuses on full-soil vegetable farming. "We both got into the business at 18. Only recently, partly because of the sky-high cost price, we decided to cut back on chrysanthemums. We still grow a hectare of these, but the main part consists of head lettuce and leeks. We also grow carrots for the industry and spinach for the frozen food sector."
And thus, these young growers are preparing for a new lettuce season. "At the end of this week, we'll start harvesting 20,000 to 25,000 pieces, then towards November/December, that will increase to about 35,000 pieces per week," Mathias explains. The company will produce head lettuce until May. "In April and May, we do other lettuce varieties, like Lollo Bionda and Lollo Rossa. We market these entirely via REO Auction."
Volatile market
He is, as yet, unwilling to stick his neck out and say how the market will go. "It's really hard to predict. In February, the market was fantastic. Then, in March and April, it was terrible, and currently, it looks good again."
"That makes it hard for young growers to know what to expect. There's plenty of demand because there hasn't been as much supply during the summer. That's partly due to a sharp drop in acreage in recent years in Belgium. Many growers struggled with fusarium," says De Vestele.
"Some don't have successors. As a result, the Belgian head lettuce supply has plummeted. But there's still competition from Spain and Italy, for example. Also, Germany is producing more and more, making them increasingly self-sufficient. That makes it difficult at the moment, despite a product with nice quality."
No security, no investment
The grower describes this volatility - besides climate extremes - as one of the biggest challenges full-soil vegetable farms face. "At auction, we experience a kind of yo-yo effect. That makes it particularly challenging to invest in your business. In the horticultural sector, you must keep growing and investing, but if you want, say, a bank loan, you have to show the numbers," Mathias continues.
"But that's impossible if you have no idea what to expect regarding your returns. The limited number of growers means there's more than enough room for young companies like ours to expand. Still, we don't dare spend a lot of money without a steady outlet. We're extremely satisfied with the REO Auction, but to consider growth, you must have a certain level of security. Otherwise, we won't even start."
"We'd love to keep expanding; my brother and I have big plans for Devo-Fleur. For instance, we recently purchased our own trailer sporting the company logo. Our leeks cultivation won't grow, but we can certainly get more out of the greenhouses. More yield and variety, but that requires the necessary investments. It's something our sector has to truly consider. Because, just like with the upcoming season, these days, everything can change within a company in no time," Mathias concludes.
For more information:
Mathias De Vestele
Devo-Fleur
39 De Manlaan
8490, Jabbeke, Belgium
Tel.: +32 (0) 497 349 237
Email: [email protected]
