Things just aren't going well in the carrot trade. Things remain lukewarm on both the grower and the export side. With compelling offers that remain hanging above the market, this does not seem to be changing any time soon.
Easter is approaching and that could cause a revival on the carrot market. Both growers and flushers are ready for a little more action. Things remain very tough this week as well. This is largely due to disappointing demand from abroad. As a Dutch sector, we have to rely on a large part of the demand from Central and Eastern Europe. With new carrots from Egypt, Greece and Turkey, for example, there is something to choose from for foreign buyers. We should not forget Spain in that list, where the harvest is slowly starting.
The mediocre quality of carrots in Dutch refrigerators doesn't really help either. The really bad batches are not picked up, but carrots that are just on the edge are taken by washers for price reasons. Such stuff does not help to entice buyers to opt for Dutch products in what has become a bit of a fighting market.
Price under pressure
A realistic representation of the market is again difficult to sketch in the quotation. Top quality carrots are still charged at €300 per box, but rinsers are hardly willing to accept this, and certainly not for direct delivery. There is plenty for sale for well under €200, but it is important to ensure that the product is picked up quickly. The DCA Quotation for b-carrot this week amounts to €35 to €38 per 100 kilos. C-carrot remains stable at €35 to €38 per 100 kilos.
Read here is the explanation from DCA Market Intelligence on the new quotations.