This winter, the lights are, once again, blazing in Belgian and Dutch cucumber greenhouses. Stabler energy prices and using energy-efficient LED lighting means growers and buyers have reached agreements more quickly. Although lit cultivation remains costly, trading partners and supermarket demand ensure profitable production. Product certainty and the need for local, fresh produce play vital roles here.

Early lit production
The first cucumber, grown under lights, hit the market in early November. QCumber and BelOrta were the first to launch these in the Netherlands and…