Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 16.1.
Conventional greenhouse tomato, bell pepper (California type) and cucumber costs, for the best
growers in The Netherlands (using climatized glasshouses) and Spain (using unheated plastic greenhouses)
(1996) (adapted from Verhaegh, 1988; Verhaegh and de Groot, 2000; Castilla
et al
., 2004).
Costs (
€
kg
−1
)
Crop
Country
Yield (kg m
−2
)
Production
Market
a
Tomato
Spain
18-20
0.26-0.27
b
0.53-0.62
Tomato
The Netherlands
58-60
0.55
c
0.73
Pepper (autumn)
Spain
6.2-6.6
0.52-0.57
0.94-0.98
Pepper (spring)
Spain
8.0-12.0
0.29-0.30
0.70-0.71
Pepper
The Netherlands
23.0-27.0
1.18
1.50
Cucumber (autumn)
Spain
9.5-12.5
0.20-0.23
0.49-0.52
Cucumber
The Netherlands
65.0
0.49
0.65
a
The integral cost prices on the market refer to the German market (Frankfurt) and single-use packages.
b
Unclassified.
c
Classified.
Table 16.2.
estimated conventional greenhouse
tomato costs in Morocco (Agadir) for the limited
export cycles to the european market (year 1998).
The production cycles are short, coupled to the
exportation costs. (Source: J. Calatrava-Requena,
unpublished data, project CICYT-SeC-944-0391.)
with subsequent larger sized marketing
chains. In addition products are now dis-
tributed internationally across the globe
(Planells and Mir, 2000; Langreo, 2002). All
this has meant that the negotiating position
of the distribution chains with respect to
the growers has improved, highlighting the
need for grower's organizations to join force
against the distribution chains.
Nowadays, the way to reach the final
consumer is through the large distribution
chains, which are undergoing a process of
change marked by distribution chains with
a higher dimension, concentration, interna-
tionalization and an increase in their mar-
ket shares (Planells and Mir, 2000, 2002).
The evolution of fresh fruits and vege-
tables in the large distribution companies is
linked to the development of packaging in
small units, which allows the distribution
companies to offer several brands, provid-
ing food safety as a main reason to keep the
consumers' confidence and retain them as
permanent customers (Photo 16.3).
This development of the large distribu-
tion companies, together with the changes
in the behaviour of the consumers, will con-
tinue determining the vegetable exportation
sector in Spain in the near future. The
demand for fresh vegetables, throughout
the whole year and in large quantities, will
be complemented with requirements for
increasing quality, food safety and traceability,
Costs (
€
kg
−1
)
Yield (kg m
−2
)
Production
Market
a
6.0
0.23-0.24
0.66-0.69
11.0
0.15-0.16
0.58-0.61
a
The integral cost prices on the market refer to the
Perpignan market (France).
Therefore, in vegetable protected culti-
vation, the location of the production areas
is a key factor in their economic feasibility,
both due to the affect on production of local
climatic conditions and transport costs.
16.6
Distribution
Distribution is the last step in the marketing
process, which allows the agri-food products
to be available to the consumers (Plate 28).
In recent years, distribution in Europe
has been characterized by a decrease in the
number of wholesale points and an increase
in their size, due to an increase in commer-
cial integration (in chains, franchises, etc.)
