The availability of Finland's beloved vegetable, the domestic cucumber, has been patchy this summer, partly affected by hot weather. At the same time, high demand — first during the heatwave, then as routines resumed — has caused cucumber shortages, with empty shelves spotted in Oulu, Kotka, and Jyväskylä.
More than two-thirds of Finnish cucumbers are grown in Närpes, where output has been about 10 percent lower than normal, according to the Närpes Grönsaker Cooperative.
Seinäjoki greenhouses have also faced shortages, as crops suffered during the hot spell, according to Petri Harri, CEO of Seinäjoen Puutarha. Seinäjoki produces nearly 5.8 million kilos of cucumbers a year.
"Some plants had to be replaced early as they could no longer produce. We expect to return to normal production in about a month," said Harri, adding that wholesale prices have roughly doubled from their lowest levels.
Read more at YLE
