Belgian fresh produce auction house REO Veiling has revealed it achieved turnover of some €140.3m during 2009, down just 0.6 per cent on the previous year's figure.
The centre generated around 60 per cent of its turnover in foreign markets last year, it revealed.
Auction director Paul Demyttenaere told Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad that growers of lettuce, tomatoes and mushrooms had all experienced a difficult 12 months.
However, there had been some positive signs in the market for producers of leeks, which accounted for more than a quarter of total sales at the auction, as well as suppliers of chicory.
While glasshouse production suffered a particularly difficult year, the Belgian mushroom industry reportedly came under increasing pressure as a result of weakening currencies in the UK and Poland, where local production became more competitive as a result.
The Flemish auction also confirmed plans to expand chicory production during the coming year.
Producer organisations in Belgium and France recently signed an agreement to push forward improvements in the chicory sector.
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