The demand for carrots is not going up very much. It is not so strange that it is not wild now, but it seems quieter than normal. Some assume that after Fruit Logistica, which is held in Berlin in early February, things will get going a bit more.
This week seems a bit tamer than last week. There is still some supply from the field, but according to insiders the quality is not great. Those who have good quality carrots in the cold store can still wait for hopefully better prices. However, there are also batches in short-term storage that people want to get rid of. The quality is generally reasonable to good.
Some is going to Eastern Europe, but exports are not going well yet. This is partly attributed to the amount of carrots that are still in the ground in Germany. If there is a severe frost there, it will be a different story, but that is not currently in the weather forecast. Another factor is competition in Eastern Europe from countries such as Turkey and Egypt. They cannot sell anything here because we have enough carrots from our own cultivation.
Fruit Logistica, 5-7 February in Berlin, is eagerly anticipated. It is possible that trading will pick up after the fair, although not everyone is convinced of this.
Low supply of C-carrots
Furthermore, there is little supply of coarser carrots. This was already reflected in the price last week and is becoming more visible this week. The DCA carrot quotation was €16 to €20 for B carrots and €17 to €20 for C carrots last week. This week the range is somewhat smaller with €17 to €19 for B carrots (although business is also done at €20). Coarse carrots are taking a step up; for C carrots this week €19,50 to €21,50 is quoted. With the comment that it is somewhat more difficult to put a price on it because there is simply little coarse this season.
Read here is the explanation from DCA Market Intelligence on the new quotations.