End of strawberry season in Western Europe; labor shortages and logistics developments impact trade
The 2026 open-field strawberry harvest has ended in major Western European producer countries, with supply tightening and labor shortages affecting operations.
The main strawberry-producing countries in Western Europe — including Spain, Germany, and the Netherlands — have now concluded their open-field harvests for the 2026 season. As of late July, the availability of locally grown strawberries on wholesale markets has sharply declined, with only limited volumes of late varieties and greenhouse production remaining. Wholesale prices for strawberries in Western Europe have increased due to the seasonal reduction in supply. In Germany, late July wholesale prices for Class I strawberries reached €4.1–4.8/kg in key markets such as Hamburg and Frankfurt. In the Netherlands, prices for locally grown strawberries stood at €4.5–5.0/kg for top-quality fruit, with imports from Belgium and Germany providing supplementary volumes for retail and foodservice channels.
Spanish strawberry production, focused in Huelva, completed its main export campaign in June. Export volumes to European markets, including Poland, have since decreased significantly. End-of-season Spanish strawberries were last traded at wholesale at €3.8–4.3/kg in northern European markets. With Spanish and Western European supply now limited, buyers in Central and Eastern Europe, including Poland, are increasingly reliant on local or regional production and occasional imports from Northern Europe.
Labor shortages remain a structural issue in the Western European soft fruit sector. Producers in Spain, Germany, and the Netherlands report ongoing difficulty in securing sufficient seasonal workers, which has impacted both the speed and efficiency of the 2026 harvest. Increasing rates of worker absenteeism have raised operational costs and affected the ability of exporters to meet some commercial commitments, especially in the late season.
Weather during the 2026 European strawberry season was challenging, with spring frosts, drought, and summer heatwaves all impacting yields and fruit quality. Producers in Western Europe have reported that these adverse conditions reduced the overall volume of marketable fruit, further tightening supply on export and wholesale markets.
Logistics infrastructure developments may affect future soft fruit trade flows. The completion of the last tunnel sections for the Brenner Base Tunnel between Austria and Italy on July 28, 2026, marks a significant milestone for rail freight transport in Europe. Once fully operational, this corridor is expected to improve efficiency and capacity for fresh produce shipments between Southern and Northern Europe, potentially affecting the movement and competitiveness of strawberries and other perishable goods.
Material prepared by the editorial team of fresh-market.info, editor Artur Spiker · Illustrative image generated by AI