The price of open-field grapes surpassed the price of greenhouse grapes in the summer of 2018. This scared many greenhouse grape farmers. Everybody knows that the cost price of greenhouse grapes is higher, so to see their price suddenly drop below the price of open-field grapes shocked numerous farmers.
The advantage of greenhouse grapes is staggered market supply, which means grapes do not enter the market in bulk and the pressure on the price remains low. The large profit margin, however, attracts many farmers, and the surface area devoted to greenhouse vineyards greatly expanded. The supply volume rapidly grew and the price suddenly dropped.
The advantage of open-field grapes is abundant sunshine, which leads to grapes with high sugar content. However, open-field grapes enter the market in bulk. Furthermore, their production is extremely vulnerable to poor weather conditions as well as insect pests and plant diseases.
The weather conditions in 2018 were great for the quality of open-field grapes. Add to this the increased production volume of greenhouse grapes, and it is not surprising that the price of greenhouse grapes dipped below the price of open-field grapes.
