Ardooie, Belgium-headquartered Ardo, Europe’s leading producer of frozen vegetable products and a major supplier of frozen fruits and herbs, released its Spring 2020 Harvest and Market Report on April 6. Details follow:
Sprouts, the last of the winter vegetables, have now been consigned to the company’s cold storage facilities. Volumes were much lower than forecast, as the hot and dry summer of 2019 delayed growth for quite some time, resulting in lower yields per hectare. In addition, more than 10% of the planned crop was not harvested.Given the increase in demand for frozen sprouts in recent years, it may be a challenge to continue this trend into the new harvest during 2021.
Ardo has better news when it comes to leeks, as the mild, frost-free winter has ensured a constant supply
The first crop harvest of 2020, spinach, is just around the corner. Actually it has been under way in Southern Europe for several months now, while harvesting usually starts at the end of March or during beginning of April in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. Normal crop yield volumes are expected, although timing is tight. Cold storage facilities are gradually emptying, and the spinach must be restocked urgently as a result.
Meanwhile, the sowing of peas has begun.
In terms of market demand, the coronavirus crisis has had a huge impact on consumption patterns, with the catering and hospitality sectors restricted to a minimum. Increased consumption at home, however, has caused a strong rise in retail sales due to peoples’ tendency to stockpile. As retail sales are going up, sales in the ingredients market are soaring.
“The challenges are huge. We must ensure our European harvesting and production teams are fully staffed in order to guarantee that the harvests can be processed. The same applies to our packaging departments,” stated Ardo in a website announcement.
The statement continued: “Ardo shares responsibility for the continuity of the food chain. It is an open secret that fresh-frozen products (vegetables, fruit and herbs in particular) represent an ideal solution to the question of how to best manage the food chain, as fresh-frozen products can be stored for longer. Our products do not suffer from a lack of availability. Furthermore, we offer produce of a proven quality. This is demonstrated by the fact that we score highly when it comes to storage techniques, while retaining the highest possible nutritional values.”
The company concluded: “We hope to have a successful harvest in 2020 – we’ll certainly need it.”
