The REO Auction is aiming for a new record as far as the supply of leek is concerned this year. "The largest amount so far was a production of 66.6 million kilos. This supply was realised in 2010. Back then we had a supply of 42.3 million kilos at the end of August. In 2015 we already had a supply of 44.5 million kilos at the end of August. We hope to exceed that figure this year. It just shows that West Flanders is and remains the leek region. The cause of the increasing volume mainly has to do with the weather this season. We had a soft winter, in which leeks didn't really stop growing. This benefited the quality," says Dominiek Keersebilck
Efforts
The yields per hectare were also high in the first six months of 2015. "At the moment the weather is changing. Due to the long drought this summer we are expecting less kilos per hectare over the next while." As far as growing conditions for leeks are concerned it is becoming a little more difficult, but our growers have enough experience and aren't complaining at the moment, says Dominiek. "At the moment the price formation also seems to be correct. It is around 65 cents these days. We are also seeing the effects of the efforts of the growers in the area of quality with careful variety choice and the choice to present a top product under the identity Fine Fleur. Our brand is being asked for more systematically and this is translated into a good added value price. Day in day out growers work to go to the market and the extensive pre sales systems gives more flexibly. We try to guide growers in this as well as possible from the auction."
Higher price
What was striking was that the leek price was higher in the first half year of 2015 than in the first half year of 2014, whilst the volume also grew. "2014 was a price formation nightmare. This year the larger supply doesn't mean a negative pressure on the price. A large supply doesn't always have to have a negative influence on the price. We were spared extreme weather conditions and some other cultivation areas weren't. Thanks to our image we can say there were good sales."
Export
The REO Auction also invests a lot in collaboration with exporters in export markets. "A lot of our fruit ends up in many European markets through Belgian exporters and foreign importers. You notice that the effects in new markets are only visible in the long term and we know this. We have been going to Hong Kong for a number of years and this is slowly building. We are also focussing more on South European countries such as Spain and Italy." When it comes to the Russia crisis Dominiek believes that the situation is sometimes underexposed for products other than top fruit. "Leek wasn't doing volumes like pears and tomatoes, but we were well on our way. We put a lot of effort into that over the years and the Russian consumer saw leek as a replacement for onions. Unfortunately this potential market was completely lost. Large volumes could have gone there. Although not much was going at the time, it was a huge hit for our leeks."
