Icelandic rhubarb struggles against cheaper Polish imports

Icelandic rhubarb is virtually absent from domestic stores, according to rhubarb farmer Egill Þorfinnsson. For decades, Icelandic producers have opted for cheaper imported rhubarb from Poland, even when branding products as Icelandic.

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Icelandic companies that produce porridges, jams, and other items under their own Icelandic brands mostly process their products using Polish imported rhubarb

"Icelandic companies that produce porridges, jams, and other items under their own Icelandic brands mostly process their products using Polish imported rhubarb," Egill told mbl.is. He explained that selling domestic rhubarb to companies and stores in Iceland is unfeasible. "No one is willing to pay the cost of processing it," he said.

Farmers face significant challenges as washing, cutting, and packaging rhubarb requires four times more labor than processing imported rhubarb. However, companies are only willing to pay about 10-15% more for the domestic product. This cost disparity means Icelandic rhubarb is largely unused within the country, as it's more economical to purchase it from Poland for approximately 250 ISK per kilogram.

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No one is willing to pay the cost of processing it

Egill has largely stopped trying to sell to businesses, finding a direct market with the public through his Facebook page, "Rhubarb for Sale." However, advertising presents its own difficulties. Customers often fail to read the details in his posts, such as the price (900 ISK per kilogram) and the sale of two-kilogram packages. He receives numerous inquiries about price and pickup times, even after providing this information. "People just need to read the advertisements," he stated, expressing frustration with the situation.

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People just need to read the advertisements.

He noted that consumers frequently request three or five kilograms, despite the fixed two-kilogram packages. "If you go to the store and need four slices of bread, you can't get four slices; you buy half a loaf or a whole loaf, and it's the same with rhubarb. People just don't understand that." Egill is increasingly exasperated by the market dynamics in Iceland, where it's nearly impossible for domestic farmers to compete against the influx of cheap imported rhubarb. "I've been doing this for years, and now I'm just thinking maybe it's not worth continuing this struggle, as so much time is spent on this hassle and nonsense, and Icelandic producers prefer the Polish one over the Icelandic," he concluded.

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If you go to the store and need four slices of bread, you can't get four slices; you buy half a loaf or a whole loaf, and it's the same with rhubarb. People just don't understand that.