Good demand for fresh garlic but volumes are lacking
You would not have said so last summer, but Dutch garlic farmers had a hard time of it last autumn.…You would not have said so last summer, but Dutch garlic farmers had a hard time of it last autumn. They struggled to get their product planted due to the wet conditions. This year's yield is considerably lower than last year. This is because of the early harvest and a limited number of growth days. "We do not have the kilos", says Dutch grower, Arjan Biesheuvel.
There is a high demand for fresh garlic. Biesheuvel, therefore, increased their prices last week. This was done in consultation with the growers association, Best of Four. "And prices will have to rise a little more in the coming weeks. This is necessary to compensate for the lower yields", Arjan announces. Arjan farms in the Dutch village of Slootdorp. He started with a few rows of garlic in the '80s. Now, he harvests an average of 500 tonnes per year. For the past few years, part of the harvest is processed into minced garlic and sold in pots.
Most of this farmer's garlic is sold, fresh, on the German market. This is done via exporters. "We have, however, noticed that the local German cultivation has recently expanded considerably. Fortunately, we still have a head start with our stored garlic. It was, however, evident that we could not do much in Germany in the first month. They have, luckily, since two weeks ago, run through most of their own product. Plenty of people are now asking for Dutch garlic again", concludes Arjan.