Dutch pepper growers stand to lose around €180m this year, equal to around €12-€15 per square metre, according to new figures published by Rabobank.
The industry has been hampered significantly by low prices this season, the report confirmed, with companies unable to match the decrease with an adequate reduction in input costs.
'With an area of some 1,200ha, my estimate is that the total revenue lost will be as much as €180m,' Rabobank's horticulture manager Cor Hendricks told the Agrarisch Dagblad.
Despite the sector's best efforts, opportunities to introduce new working practices in order to streamline operations have reportedly been few and far between.
'All companies have ended up below cost price,' he added. 'Some have managed to reduce their energy costs because they didn't make commitments last year, but the efficiency of these businesses is already very high. It is difficult for them to work more efficiently.'
