At the end of week 35, the average price for truss tomatoes at the auctions of the Association of Belgian Horticultural Cooperatives was just above the one-euro mark. Loose tomatoes were selling at an average of €0.88. These prices are still higher than the long-term average and are roughly the same as last year, following a brief but sharp price peak earlier in the season.
Across the European Union, tomato prices have remained high (link in Dutch) over the past two summer months. According to Boerenbond in their market update (link in Dutch), tomatoes have had a strong season. In contrast, lettuce has suffered through a poor year, cucumbers have seen a season full of ups and downs, and peppers have been all over the place with highly variable results (see figures below).
© VBT/Agentschap Landbouw en Zeevisserij – Landbouwcijfers
Average prices for cucumbers and for yellow and red peppers have also dropped. For cucumbers, the average unit price now stands at 32.9 euro cents, which means the price has fallen below the five-year average for the first time since mid-June.
© VBT/Agentschap Landbouw en Zeevisserij – Landbouwcijfers
The average prices for red and yellow peppers are also below the five-year average. There was a brief price recovery, but even in the middle of summer, prices had already slipped under that benchmark. In week 35, green peppers were the best performers, with an average price of just over €1.18 per kilo.
© VBT/Agentschap Landbouw en Zeevisserij – Landbouwcijfers
The median price for iceberg lettuce has again been unable to exceed the five-year average this summer. Last week, the unit price dropped slightly again.
© VBT/Agentschap Landbouw en Zeevisserij – Landbouwcijfers
In week 35, the average price for aubergines rose to €1.13 per kilo, while strawberries reached €4.26 per kilo, remaining above the five-year average after a difficult start to July in terms of pricing. "The good weather led to high aubergine production, but prices were low. Aubergines are highly sensitive to market demand, which this year was more limited," explains Boerenbond.
© VBT/Agentschap Landbouw en Zeevisserij – Landbouwcijfers
View the full VBT price overview for week 35 here. Want to see the price charts in full size? You can do so on the statistics page of the Flemish Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries.
