May and June were difficult months for the sales of Dutch peppers. "Our kilo prices were below 2 Euro, so that wasn't great for our growers," says Jim Westhoff of Valstar Holland. "In July growers of red peppers switched to green and the prices then rose to a level above 4 Euro per kilo. Now a number of growers have moved back and the price level is around 3 Euro, which is reasonable for this time of year."
"Today we are already seeing a lot of demand again and because the supply is declining, I expect the price to increase in the coming period," continues Jim. "The expectations for the longer term are also positive. The rumors are that less red peppers have been planted in Spain and this could have a positive effect on the cultivation under light in the Netherlands. The prices for peppers grown under lights are generally a lot higher when the regular cultivation has ended."
Special peppers
The sales of the special pepper varieties, such as the Jalapeño, Habanero and Naga Jolokia pepper aren't going smoothly this year either. "Last year the peppers from the Dominican Republic weren't allowed into the US and this lead to a good demand for the Dutch special peppers. The market is open again this year and we are receiving heavy competition. In the Dominican Republic the peppers basically grow by the side of the road," Jim jokes. A large area of special peppers has also been added in the Netherlands, which causes more pressure on the market."
Valstar Holland has been a market leader in the Dutch pepper market for years. The main buyers of Valstar for peppers are retail and wholesalers in the United Kingdom, Scandinavia, Germany and the Netherlands.
