Three out of four vegetables are imported: 'Danish vegetable landscape is retreating'

There is little 'Made in Denmark' when buying fruit and vegetables domestically.

In 2023, three out of four vegetables and nine out of ten fruits came from abroad, according to a report from the self-governing organization Madkulturen (https://www.madkulturen.dk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Mere-dansk-frugt-og-groent-Analyserapport.pdf).

The numbers have increased in recent years, and this is mainly due to the lower prices of foreign apples, tomatoes, and peppers compared to the prices of corresponding Danish products.

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> The Danish vegetable landscape is in retreat, and it is a sad situation.

> Søren Ejlersen, founder of Aarstiderne.

In the last week, the large North Zealand vegetable producer Søris went bankrupt.

At Aarstiderne, which sells organic meal kits, the bankruptcy is seen as a consequence of the fact that Danish products take up less space in supermarkets' vegetable departments.

- Søris is a very sad example of what is happening in Denmark, where the production of Danish fruit and vegetables has fallen by 27% over the past six years, says Søren Ejlersen, who is the founder of Aarstiderne.

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Danish vegetable farmers are threatened

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However, bankruptcy marks Søris among a long line of producers of open-field vegetables, who either have gone bankrupt or have withdrawn from the market in recent years.

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> Sad that the time calls for cheap chocolate instead of high-quality vegetables

> Jan Algreen, director of Søris

Since 2008, the number of farms specializing in open-field vegetables has fallen from 201 to 82, according to figures from Madkulturen. This corresponds to a drop of 60%, and it can make it even harder to buy Danish carrots, cabbage, and other root vegetables in supermarkets in the future.

In fact, the situation is serious, says Søren Ejlersen.

- The Danish vegetable landscape is in retreat, and it is a sad situation, he tells P1 Morgen (https://www.dr.dk/lyd/p1/p1-morgen/p1-morgen-2025/tirsdag-4-november-2025-11802533452).

Price is important when we put fruit and vegetables in the shopping cart. It puts pressure on Danish farmers, as Danish products are often a few crowns more expensive than foreign products. (Photo: © Ida Marie Odgaard, Ritzau Scanpix)

The same message comes in the press release that Søris sent out in connection with bankruptcy.

- Søris is just another CVR number in the list of Danish vegetable farmers who are turning the key in these years. There is simply an industry that is disappearing in the middle of "The Green Transition", writes director Jan Algreen.

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Sending a safety pin to politicians

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Søris' bankruptcy comes after several years with red numbers on the bottom line, where there was no other way out but to file for bankruptcy.

- For us personally, it is unbelievably sad to have to end the history of the family business in this way, writes director Jan Algreen in the press release and continues with a swipe to the politicians.

- For the Danish population, it is sad that the time calls for cheap chocolate instead of high-quality vegetables.

This happens with reference to the fact that politicians have decided to abolish taxes on sugar and chocolate from next summer, but will not be part of reducing the tax on fruit and vegetables, confirms Jan Algreen, who does not want to give an interview.

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Support package for vegetable farmers misses the mark

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It is otherwise only four days since Food Minister Jacob Jensen (V) on behalf of the parties behind the green tax reform sent out a press release (https://fvm.dk/nyheder-og-pressemeddelelser/2025/okt/aftale-skal-sikre-produktion-af-dansk-frugt-og-groent- ) on the street.

Here, the minister could inform that there is a set 163.8 million kroner as compensation for the new CO2 tax. The money is intended to help farmers find energy-efficient solutions, so they are not so heavily affected by green taxes.

Politicians should support open-field farmers instead of greenhouse farmers, who produce vegetables in heated greenhouses in the winter, thinks Søren Ejlersen from Aarstiderne. (Photo: © Niels Ahlmann Olesen, Ritzau Scanpix)

- It is money for farmers who are subject to a CO2 tax along with the rest of the industry, for we could see that they would have trouble keeping their heads above water in some years, until there is a more climate-friendly production, says fødevareministeren to P1 Morgen (https://www.dr.dk/lyd/p1/p1-morgen/p1-morgen-2025/tirsdag-4-november-2025-11802533452).

But it is completely wrong when one supports Danish farmers who grow vegetables in heated greenhouses in the winter, thinks Søren Ejlersen from Aarstiderne.

- I like Danish tomatoes and peppers, but I don't think one should support heating with oil, coal, and electricity in the winter, I would support open-field farmers in Denmark and make it much more systematic and long-term, he says.

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Seeking support for open-field farmers

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Søren Ejlersen points out that Danish wages are much higher than wages in other countries. Therefore, he is looking for concrete measures that can alleviate farmers' wage costs.

- For example, one can support technology and say that now we are giving massive subsidies for slurry robots and so-called robots, which are technologies that exist, and then go systematically to work and support the farmers so that they can also exist in the future, says Søren Ejlersen.

But it is not so easy to send a pot of money to open-field farmers, says fødevareministeren.

- I agree that we should give our fruit and vegetable farmers good framework conditions. Now Søren Ejlersen mentions some specific machines, but without me becoming an expert in EU rules, so there are some limitations in how much one can do of that kind, says Jacob Jensen.

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Consumers should buy more Danish

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Instead, the food minister thinks that the solution to farmers' problems lies with consumers.

- In the ideal world, we would buy 100% Danish fruit and Danish vegetables, says Jacob Jensen.

To next year, consumers will have more money in their pockets. Food Minister Jacob Jensen hopes that this will make more people choose Danish fruit and vegetables, as they are often a little more expensive than foreign products. (Photo: © Olivier Matthys, EPA/Ritzau Scanpix)

But at the same time, he acknowledges that it is not realistic when foreign apples, tomatoes, and peppers are cheaper than Danish.

- It is obviously a challenge that Danes first and foremost buy with their wallets. They would really like the Danish production, because it is a higher quality, it is locally produced, it has higher environmental standards, but it also costs a little more, says fødevareministeren.

But even though Jacob Jensen acknowledges that Danes are price-conscious, he points out that most will have more money in their pockets next year, when there will be tax cuts, reductions in daycare fees, higher pensions, and the electricity tax will be reduced.

- All together something that makes people have more money in their pockets and therefore also have the opportunity to buy the slightly more expensive Danish fruit and vegetables, which are some of the best you can get in the world, says food minister Jacob Jensen.

Warning: This article was translated by a Large Language Model, in case of doubt, you can always visit the original source.