Spain: Arrival of Dutch cucumbers causes prices to hit rock bottom
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Although other types, such as short cucumbers, have seen their prices rise, the Almeria type is almost the only one exported.
In just a week, from 24 February to 2 March, the price of long cucumbers has fallen by 57.7%, from an average auction price of 1.30 Euro per kilo on Friday 24 February down to 0.55 Euro per kilo on Thursday 2 March.
In recent weeks, Hortoinfo had already reported the presence of cucumbers from the Netherlands in the markets, although still in small volumes. Now the quantities are higher and buyers are turning their eyes to the Dutch production.
Although the colour of Dutch cucumbers is paler than that of the greenhouse production in Almeria and Granada, the fact that it is the product of young plants, together with the perspective of a prolonged production, results in retail chains preferring to be supplied by the Netherlands.
Bulgaria is also starting its own production, and other markets, such as Austria or the United Kingdom, also have their local production.
Something similar will happen with peppers in the short term, especially in the case of bell peppers. In fact, prices have already started to fall.
Red bell peppers stood at an average of 1.52 Euro per kilo on Monday 27 February, but the price had fallen to 1.39 Euro per kilo by Thursday 2 March.
Lamuyo peppers, more oriented to the domestic market, are currently less affected, although their price is also expected to start falling. ■