Only one in four vegetables sold in Denmark is home-grown

Denmark has become one of Europe’s worst performers in growing the fruit and vegetables its population actually eats.

Greenhouse production of tomatoes and cucumbers has declined, while citrus fruits have never been a Danish strong point.

“It’s a fairly serious situation,” said Judith Kyst, director of Madkulturen, a government-backed food-culture body.

“Essentially it’s a quiet, steady dismantling of our production of vegetables—and especially fruit.”

Costs and red tape have risen, investment in infrastructure has lagged, and Danish growers cannot match the prices of foreign competitors.

“Why should the poor vegetables and fruit be forced into a price war where we look at a 50-øre difference between a Danish and a Dutch cauliflower?” Kyst asked.

Berry harvests have been hit hardest. Solberry output has fallen 91 % in a decade, forcing growers to uproot bushes.

“Poland ships in berries at prices we can’t match,” said Finn Bilberg, a part-time solberry grower near Skjern. “We can’t keep lowering our price, so I’m stopping instead.”

Industry leaders warn that Denmark now has one of the lowest self-sufficiency rates in Europe: only 26 % of vegetables consumed are grown domestically.

“That’s not where we’d like to be,” said Jens Nannerup, director of Gasa Odense Frugt-Grønt and a board member of Danske Gartnerier.

“A national food-supply policy is needed to ensure we don’t lose the capacity to produce our own fruit and vegetables.”

The new government has pledged a food strategy for 2027 that includes zero VAT on certain items and increased public-sector purchases to support Danish growers.