Belgium's Mechelse Veilingen, Europe's largest vegetable auction cooperative, has announced a 5.5 per cent downturn in turnover to €211m for 2008, compared with an 11 per cent decrease in 2007.
According to the Belga news agency, the Sint-Katelijne-Waver-based group attributed the result to 'pressure from international retailers'.
With input costs rising and auction prices falling, growers are coming under intense pressure, the company was reported as saying. Average auction clock rates are reported to be at their lowest level since 1994.
Mechelse Veilingen saw large decreases in sales of open-field products including chicory (down 27 per cent) and broccoli (-30 per cent), while for greenhouse production lamb's lettuce (-35 per cent) and aubergines (-25 per cent) were hardest hit.
