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Far fewer local tomatoes will be available this winter
Belgium
Monday 28 November 2022
FJ | Bel'Orta
The supply of local tomatoes will not be sufficient this winter to supply Belgian retailers, estimates the director of the BelOrta cooperative (Photo: belorta.be).
The increase in production costs (fertilizer, packaging, wages) and above all in energy costs has an impact on the production of tomatoes in greenhouses, which will drop sharply this winter.
In an interview with the Belgian media Vilt, the director of the BelOrta cooperative (Sint-Katelijne Waver, Belgium), Philippe Appeltans, believes that energy prices are crushing greenhouse growers. He predicts that the heated/lit area of BelOrta greenhouse growers will drop from 80 hectares to 10 hectares this winter.
The supply of local tomatoes will not be sufficient this winter to supply Belgian retailers who will have to look for other suppliers, such as Spain or Morocco.
However, a certain overlapping of the tomato harvests is to be feared in the spring if Belgian producers are late with the planting dates and if the supply from southern countries is slow to decrease. With a risk of glut in the market in April and May.
source : vilt.be
