The numbers of Dutch and French suppliers of witloof chicory to the Belgian LAVA auctions is again on the increase.
According to Flandria, the increase in producer numbers, which became clear during the 2003/2004 season is showing no signs of letting up. The new growers are also now being admitted to the LAVA auctions.
It has also been agreed that the witloof chicory the growers supply can also carry the Flandria quality label, provided the growers can comply with all the production and quality requirements of the Flandria specifications.
A spokesman for the quality mark said: “The producers will also have to undergo the same internal and external checks as their Belgian counterparts.”
However, despite the increase in producer numbers, total witloof chicory production in the three main producing countries, the Netherlands, Belgium and France, is not expected to rise this season.
But, with the moves to include the produce under the auctions, the market share of Flandria witloof chicory will increase by around 10 per cent.
The spokesman said: “This will give retailers an important advantage: more so than ever before, LAVA auctions will be able to offer them very large, uniform consignments of produce this season, even as much as 15,000 crates per market day within the same size grade.
“Flandria can therefore provide retailers with an even better service, thanks to its crucial trump card: guaranteed uniform quality within the same packaging.”
On the production front, Flandria is anticipating some reduction in size. “In the new season, even Flandria witloof chicory will not escape the phenomenon that has become widespread throughout western Europe: the heads will be slimmer and lighter.
“One manager of a LAVA auction described it as ‘more Kylie Minogue than Rubens this year’.”
The issue is all down to weather conditions being good during the growing season, which has led to the lower yielding, lighter heads.
On the price front, up until the beginning of November 2004, the average price of Flandria witloof chicory was still lower than in the first 10 months of 2003.
However, there are signs that the price during the rest of the winter season is likely to rise, although the industry does not expect it to be significant.
