Now there is a second wave of infection, but fortunately the situation is not repeated. Unlike March, when the counters were mostly imported vitamins, vegetables are currently being harvested from domestic fields, and the supply is sufficient.
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Consumer prices for some vegetables, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers or cauliflowers, remain relatively high, but basic types such as onions, carrots, cabbage, kohlrabi, radishes and potatoes are usually available at normal prices.
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| Prices of selected vegetables | ||
| Kind of | Price** | Country of origin |
| cherry tomatoes Ruby (300 g) | 60 CZK | CR |
| cherry sweetelle tomatoes (250 g) | 40 CZK (event) | CR |
| oval salad tomato (500 g) | 55 CZK | The Netherlands |
| loose bush tomato (1 kg) | 45 CZK | The Netherlands |
| iceberg lettuce (piece) | 18 CZK | CR |
| romaine lettuce (piece) | 30 CZK | CR |
| red pepper (1 kg) | 50 CZK (event) | Poland |
| vegetable pepper (1 kg) | 40 CZK | Slovakia |
| cucumber salad (piece) | 20 CZK | CR |
| dry onion (1 kg) | 15 CZK | CR |
| leeks (1 kg) | 60 CZK | France |
| carrots with toppings – bunch | 20 CZK | CR |
| carrot bag (1 kg) | 22 CZK | CR |
| cabbage (1 kg) | 20 CZK | CR |
| cabbage (1 kg) | 30 CZK | CR |
| cauliflower (piece) | 30 CZK (event) | CR |
| broccoli (piece) | 50 CZK | France |
| boiling potatoes type B (2 kg) | 35 CZK | CR |
| ware potatoes free (1 kg) | 17 CZK | CR |
| * survey conducted in the Billa supermarket in Prague on September 24, 2020 | ||
| ** rounded: 59.90 CZK = 60 CZK | ||
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Sales are hit by high margins
Agrokomplex Ohře in Bohušovice nad Ohří, with a growing area of 750 hectares, is one of the largest vegetable growers in the Czech Republic. It grows it both for direct consumption and for industrial processing. Its director Jaroslav Zeman also led the Vegetable Union of Bohemia and Moravia for many years. He welcomes the fact that after a spring full of uncertainties, the situation has stabilized and the harvest will be harvested. “In the north, the situation is different from the rest of the republic in that we have another dry year here. If we did not have vegetables under irrigation, we would have to leave it a long time ago, “he told Právo.
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According to Zeman, the harvest of spring vegetables, spinach and peas went well for growers from Litoměřice; most of this production is taken by processing companies, such as Hamé and freezers. It’s worse with cauliflower and cabbage. “We are finishing the harvest of cauliflower from 22 hectares these days, but we are not satisfied. Cauliflower is very sensitive to weather fluctuations. As we can use chemical sprays less and less, pests have increased, this year mainly moths. We also expect a lower yield for cabbage and it is also a disaster in terms of price, “remarked Zeman. Growers currently receive 4 to 5 crowns per kilogram of cabbage, and 15 to 17 crowns per cauliflower. “Then when I come to the store and look at the price tags, I’m not surprised,” he lamented.
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Tomato growers are starting to prosper
According to growers, high margins of traders are one of the main reasons why it is not possible to increase the sales of domestic production or the degree of self-sufficiency of the Czech Republic in vegetables. Another is that customers require a complete range throughout the year, which cannot be ensured from domestic sources.
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Tomatoes are one of the species where Czech growers have recently started to prosper. Millions of crowns were invested in the construction of greenhouses and foil plants using European money. In them, modern cultivation technologies are controlled by computers. Domestic production of all kinds of tomatoes, including oval, cherry and cocktail, is growing so fast.
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The Ráječek u Brna farm also specializes in tomatoes and salads. Tomatoes are grown hydroponically here in foil pots, and the robot helps to dig up the salads with great precision. “We will somehow get through this season, but we have experienced better,” said the owner of the farm, Josef Sklenář. In addition to the problems with the temporary workers, the local farmers were probably most affected by the closed gastronomic establishments.
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The farm produces 500 tons of tomatoes a year (for example, one million 500 gram packages – ed. Note), planting five million salads of various kinds. “Brno’s restaurants and canteens were closed in the spring, Prague is a dead city for us to this day,” Sklenář told Práva.
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The farm supplies mainly to large chains. During the first wave of coronavirus, she also opened her own farm shop, which is taken care of by the owner’s son. People from Brno and the surrounding area quickly found their way here and currently, according to the owner, provide more than 10 percent of company sales.
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According to Sklenář, growers can only influence tomato prices to a small extent. They are traded across Europe, prices are set outside the Czech Republic. “There was a surplus in the Netherlands this year, and even chains are pushing us down with price actions. And that customers find tomato prices in stores high? That’s the way it is for us sometimes, “he added.
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Following these findings, we went to one of Prague’s supermarkets. We chose Bill’s string. He is known for good cooperation with farmers, gives space to regional suppliers and relies on the freshness of goods. The price level in it is slightly higher compared to other chains.
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