The Emmeloord stock exchange is opening the B-carrot season with a price range of €13 to €15 per 100 kilos. This means the season is off to a slightly lower start than last year, when prices began a few weeks earlier at €14 to €15 per 100 kilos.
Harvesting of organic carrots for storage has begun. This will also happen for conventional carrots sometime next week, now that temperatures are starting to drop.
In the conventional segment, carrots have been trading for €15 per 100 kilos in recent weeks. Last week, that price dropped to €14 per 100 kilos, and since this week, carrots have also been trading at €13 per 100 kilos.
According to a trader, the cold stores look set to fill up considerably. Yields in Flevoland are looking good, and good harvests are also expected in Groningen. Harvesting is underway in the southwest, where yields are disappointing due to the drought.
For now, please ask quietly
Demand for carrots remains calm for now. Neighboring countries have sufficient carrots themselves and therefore don't need to buy more. Dutch washers are still doing little business on the export market. Germany is expected to enter the market earlier than last year for organic carrots, but otherwise, things remain calm for now. Belgian washers are collecting contract carrots but not buying free-range carrots.
Given the significant onion sales to Africa, hopes were pinned on carrot exports to that continent. However, as with potatoes, that has been somewhat disappointing so far. On the other hand, it's still very early in the season to determine the direction of price and sales growth.
The market for conventional carrots is currently still subdued, according to the Emmeloord stock exchange. Organic carrot sales are quiet. Organic carrots are trading €0,50 lower than last week, at €24 to €27 per 100 kilos ex-field.
C/D carrots are trading unchanged at €14 to €16 per 100 kilos on the Middenmeer stock exchange. The market is described as calm.