ECONOMIC ASPECTS OF CUCUMBER GROWING IN THE NETHERLANDS

The auction supply increased from 242 000 tons in 1970 to over 300 000 tons in 1978 and 1979, an increase of more than 25% (Table 1). The auction turn-over increased from 125 million guilders in 1970 to 241 million guilders in 1979. In 1980 it is expected that the cucumber will reach the fourth place in the row of protected crops, headed by tomatoes with a turn-over of 550 million guilders, followed by roses (375 million guilders) and chrysanthemums (270 million guilders); the turn-over of cucumber will go beyond 250 million guilders.
The cucumber crop is good for 20% of the turn-over for vegetables under glass, tomatoes take 45%, lettuce 15% and other crops 20% (sweet peppers 6%, radishes 3% and gherkins 3%).

The export has increased from 176 000 tons in 1970 to 227 000 tons in 1979, a growth of nearly 30%, 85% of the Dutch cucumber export goes to West-Germany.
The Dutch share of the West-German market lies between 90 and 95% from May till September, 80 and 90% in April and October, 70 and 80% in March and only between 15 and 20% in February and November.

Figures on the area planted in different seasons are given in table 2. The area at March 1 is rather stable, only in 1979 planting was postponed until March due to the severe winter.
The area planted in May/ June has decreased since 1975 as the total area of unheated glass is decreasing every year.

The autumn crop, planted from July to September, has grown fast from 1970 to 1975 with more than 100 hectares, in 1979 the area was again at the 1970 level.
The autumn crop is practically always planted after early tomatoes planted in December/January; in 1979 the tomato crop was kept until September on many holdings, therefore the area of autumn cucumbers decreased drastically.

Working-party on Greenhouse Cucumber

A.J. de Visser

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1981.118.1