There was little demand for carrots from the surrounding countries last season. The early new harvest that is being traded now, is passable, says Kees Heegsma of Heegsma bv. "Whether there is trade depends completely on where you are in the Netherlands and who you do business with. At the moment there are open field carrots from Zeeland going to Belgium. Washers in the Flevopolder who have contacts in Africa also have trade, but those with customers in Eastern Europe aren't busy at the moment. The prices are low, the margins are minimal."
Start
Growers with coarse early carrots, intended for cutters and the industry haven't been able to make good prices. There was still plenty of old carrots on the market. But the old carrots are now finished, according to Kees. "There were still some parties in cool storage, but they didn't go onto the market. We have been in new carrots for over a month."
Outside of Belgium (open field crops) and Africa and a few destinations within Europe there is still little demand. Kees: "Due to the drought at the start of the season, the harvest in Belgium probably wasn't as good as hoped. Zeeland has a favourable location which enables the trade there. The harvest of the first carrots in Limburg is almost over."
Organic carrots
Organic carrots are also on the market. "The season started with high prices, but at the moment the demand is disappointing. The prices are still at a reasonable level, but not what is expected. At the moment around 20 cents is paid for unwashed open field crops on the organic carrots market," says Kees.
Pessimistic
There were hardly any buyers for regular carrots last season. "The countries where our customers are had their own good harvest, we noticed this. It has made some growers, processors and traders pessimistic, but I look at it differently. I have been here for 25 years and have often experienced mediocre or bad years in carrots. It's all part and parcel."
Germany
Kees sees a more structural change in the market in Germany. Kees: "I estimate we were able to sell around 40 to 50 percent less carrots there last season. The local popularity that the supermarket chains have created, is stimulating German growers to grow more themselves."
