Climate crisis spurs surge in wonky vegetables in Netherlands

The Guardian carries an article about crowdfunding scheme which salvages "imperfect" fruit and veg following the Netherlands’ wettest autumn, winter and spring on record, Caliber.Az reprints the article.

When 31-year-old Dutch farmer Bastiaan Blok harvested his latest crop, adverse weather conditions had severely affected it. His onions, totaling 117,000 kilos, were as small as shallots.

"We experienced a very wet spring followed by a dry, warm summer, which resulted in the plants developing very small roots," explained Blok, who manages 90 hectares of land in Swifterbant, located in the reclaimed province of Flevoland. "Half of the onions were less than 40mm in size, typically unsuitable for commercial use. They might have been sold at a low price for biomass or possibly to Poland for onion oil. The weather oscillates between excessively wet and cold or excessively warm and dry, with no regular growing season in between."

Blok is among several farmers in Europe's largest agricultural exporter who attribute the increasing prevalence of "imperfect" fruits and vegetables to the climate crisis. These products are often rejected by a food system that prioritizes standardization and cosmetic appearance.

Record-breaking levels of rainfall during autumn, winter, and spring have posed significant threats to spinach and potato crops, prompting parliamentary inquiries and alerts from the farming union LTO. Evelien Drenth, an agriculture specialist at LTO, noted that 61 per cent of Dutch farmers have reported reduced yields due to extreme weather, increased disease incidence, and delayed or missed planting. She emphasized the need for consumers and supermarkets to adapt to occasional shortages of short-season crops like spinach, as well as irregular-sized Brussels sprouts and broccoli.

Jaap Fris from the community-owned farm Erve Kiekebos in Empe, Gelderland, acknowledges the increasing challenges posed by climate change for farmers. "It's true that things are becoming more difficult due to the climate," he remarked. Fris also reflected on the perception of perfection in farming, recognizing that produce may not always look flawless but can still be delicious. He mentioned ongoing challenges such as battling slugs and the occasional imperfections in late-harvested kohlrabi, like developing a second skin or an irregular shape. "Like people, each one looks different," he observed. "It may not be perfect in appearance, but it's still perfectly edible."