Flanders' cucumber season got off to an early start this year, with the first vegetables being delivered at the end of January.
According to LAVA, the umbrella organisation of the six main fruit and vegetable auctions in Belgium, the transition from foreign to domestic production is proceeding well.
'Demand is developing well,' said Benny Cuypers. 'This means that the home market has already fully switched over to home-grown cucumbers. Our experts are also already active, because Spain is no longer dominating the market so much.'
The auctions are currently monitoring how production in the south and at home develops. 'The more restricted imports from Spain make me reasonably optimistic for the coming six months,' said Cuypers. 'The period from April to August is a top period for supplies.'
The weather has also played an important role in boosting demand for cucumbers. 'The somewhat higher temperatures in the second half of March were more than welcome,' said Cuypers.
This season, the LAVA auctions are combining their cucumber sales, according to Hans De Meyer, marketing supervisor at the Malines auctions.
'Cucumbers from all the LAVA auctions will be offered on a single clock,' he said. 'Cucumbers from Hoogstraten and Coöbra auctions are brought to the Malines auction. The supply from REO and the Malines auctions is separate, but on the same clock.'
