Piet Zwinkels has long been internationally active in the cultivation of radish. From September, his production in Portugal will start again, but given the Russian boycott the fields in Morocco and Egypt have suddenly become very interesting.
No work is carried out at the moment at the Egyptian plantations. The land is leased to another. This is due, among other things, to the poor radish prices of recent years and the discontent of the Egyptian growers as a result. Yet Zwinkels sees possibilities. The machines are in Egypt, and to re-start the growing, Dutch knowledge is needed. "That may still come back."
Egyptian production of previous seasons
Radish planting in Morocco, early this year
Morocco
In Morocco, Zwinkels is still active. With some hectares of land still available and in cooperation with a Moroccan grower, Zwinkels wants to go back to work in the autumn. Morocco's produce may still be exported to Russia, but Zwinkels also has mixed feelings about this. "It would be better if other countries also refused to export." It is a lack of solidarity that he, as part of the Dutch horticultural sector, has already come against in the past and which the Together Strong campaign has done little to alleviate. "As growers, we keep damaging each other's interests. Grower A offers 85; grower B offers 75, then you know what happens."
Portuguese production restarts this year
Prices
Nevertheless, currently radish prices are technically good; a direct result of the shortages in the market. "Scandinavia, England and Europe," says Zwinkels, where the Dutch production from The Greenery is marketed "have all had a disappointing harvest." Earlier, Russia was also purchasing radish, "but only for bottom prices." Yet radish is not on the list of products for which European funding is coming, "as apparently we do not qualify for that."