Vegetable supplies are tight at the moment, reports Pawel Rudnicki from Polish exporter Primavega. The domestic season is about to start and together with limited supply from Spain and Italy for products that are high in demand, like broccoli, prices are currently sky high.
“Broccoli is always in high demand in Poland at this time of year, but I don’t remember having this problem last year during the same period. Everyone is asking for broccoli at the moment, but the very limited supplies are really causing problems, not only for us, but also equally for retailers. We are hoping that this is only a temporary issue, which will stabilise soon. We are only few weeks away from harvesting our own products, which should help.” said Pawel.
With Easter just around the corner, there is a huge domestic demand for butterhead lettuce. Consumers are turning to this leafy green more and more often, over the more traditional iceberg lettuce. In response, Pawel said that they are planning on doubling their sales plan for butterhead and leeks to cover the extra holiday demand.
Iceberg lettuce has always been a firm favourite for the Polish market, but Pawel said that he has observed that the Polish market has become saturated to the point that the lettuce is no longer the product of choice. Current analysis has shown that the processing market is more beneficial for producers. Along with iceberg, Primavega also offers; romaine and butterhead lettuce, broccoli, ribbed celery, leek, radicchio chicory, endive escarold and frise and baby spinach.
“We are constantly analyzing the fresh produce market and striving to match customer expectations. This includes our portfolio, which products we sell and in what packages. We also adapt the weights to the changing needs of the market - given that the customer is increasingly demanding and aware of what he chooses - so we attach great importance to the quality of our products.” concluded Pawel.
