Cucumber prices rise in Western Europe amid supply shortages and Spanish export value growth
Cucumber prices in the Netherlands and the UK have risen due to reduced supply and weather disruptions, while Spanish cucumber export value increased by 19% in early 2026.
In the UK, cucumber availability has been limited following extreme heatwaves across Europe and North Africa. The Lea Valley Growers Association reports that the Netherlands has become the main cucumber supplier to the British market as Spanish and Moroccan yields declined due to high temperatures and early flower abortion. Dutch cucumbers are currently priced at over £1 per piece, equivalent to approximately €1.2 per cucumber. UK supermarkets are facing the choice between paying these higher prices or experiencing empty shelves, although yields are now beginning to recover and supply is expected to normalize soon.
In Germany, greenhouse cucumber supply volumes are currently lower due to weather fluctuations, despite an increase in cultivation area. Wholesale prices for salad cucumbers and snack cucumbers have been below last year's levels for most of the season, but have shown an upward trend since week 28 (early July 2026). The overall quality and yields are satisfactory, but the market has seen increased price volatility linked to weather extremes.
Spanish cucumber exports between January and May 2026 totaled 363,742 tonnes, a 1% increase in volume compared to the previous year. The export value for Spanish cucumbers reached €651 million in this period, marking a 19% increase year-on-year. In the 2025/26 season, Almería recorded a 25% rise in cucumber prices at origin, with an 18% increase in total cucumber revenue, despite a 4% drop in overall fruit and vegetable export volumes. The uptick in value compensated for the lower supply, reflecting strong international demand and higher prices on the European market.
Spain's overall fresh vegetable exports amounted to 2.9 million tonnes between January and May 2026, down 1% by volume but up 10% by value compared to the same period in 2025. Cucumber remains one of the key drivers of the Spanish horticultural sector's export revenue, alongside peppers and tomatoes.
The recent supply disruptions and price increases in Western Europe are likely to affect cucumber imports into Poland, as higher prices and reduced availability from traditional suppliers like Spain and the Netherlands increase competition and costs for Polish buyers.
Material prepared by the editorial team of fresh-market.info, editor Artur Spiker