Spinach Guide

General Product Introduction

Is spinach growing in the global market?

According to the IndexBox report in 2019, in Eastern Europe, the spinach market’s revenue amounted to USD 49M in 2018, surging by 11% against the previous year. This figure reflects the total revenues of producers and importers (excluding logistics costs, retail marketing costs, and retailers’ margins, which will be included in the final consumer price).

In general, spinach consumption in Eastern Europe continues to indicate a remarkable increase. The growth pace appeared the most rapid in 2011 when the market value increased by 50% y-o-y. Over the period under review, the spinach market reached its peak figure level in 2018 and is expected to retain its immediate term growth.

In the United States, data also shows a growth in organic spinach. Organic spinach sales enjoyed steady growth from 2017-2018, with marketers selling nearly USD 50 million more in organic spinach in 2018, even with the average retail price per pound slipping three cents during that period, according to data from IRI/FreshLook Marketing. The percentage of consumers buying organic spinach continues to climb, as organic products comprised 42% of spinach sales in 2018.

Source:

Spinach Market in Eastern Europe – Consumption Peaked At $49M And Is Likely To Continue Its Robust Growth 

2020 Organic Fresh Trends data on spinach

Seasonality of Main Producing Regions

Where are the main growing regions of spinach within the major producing countries?

• China: The main supply of Chinese spinach currently comes from Liaocheng in Shandong, Handan, and Xianghe in Hebei and Wuqing district in Tianjin. The supply volume from Liaocheng in Shandong was significantly larger after spring of the year (2020) compared to last year. Source: Chinese Market Price of Spinach is Rising 

• United States: Texas, New Jersey, Arizona, and California are the four states that produce spinach in the USA. In 2016, it was approximated that spinach was harvested on 47,500 acres of land. This vegetable is grown primarily in the coastal valleys, and it is being produced throughout the year. The coastal valleys produce nearly 65% of all fresh spinach produced in the USA (AGMRC, 2019).
  

• Kenya: The Swiss Chard ford hook spinach is a new variety in the Kenyan market. The variety can be grown in various parts of the country, especially Western, Rift valley, Central, and parts of the upper Eastern region.
  

What factors determine the grade classification in spinach?

Here are the grades and standards of spinach leaves according to USDA:

• U.S. Extra No. 1
  

Shall consist of spinach leaves of similar varietal characteristics which are relatively clean, well-trimmed, free from coarse stalks, seed stems, seed buds, crowns and roots, sandburs or other kinds of burs, decay, and damage caused by clusters of leaves, wilting, discoloration, freezing, foreign material, disease, insects, mechanical, or other means.

• U.S. No. 1
  

Shall consist of spinach leaves of similar varietal characteristics which are well-trimmed, free from coarse stalks, seed stems, seed buds, crowns and roots, sandburs, or other kinds of burs, decay, and from damage caused by clusters of leaves, wilting, discoloration, freezing, dirt, or other foreign material, disease, insects, mechanical or other means.

• U.S. Commercial
  

Shall consist of spinach leaves of similar varietal characteristics which are well-trimmed, free from coarse stalks, seed stems, seed buds, crowns and roots, sandburs, or other kinds of burs, decay, and from damage caused by clusters of leaves, wilting, discoloration, freezing, dirt or other foreign material, disease, insects, mechanical, or other means.

For detailed standards, please refer to this document:

United States Standards for Grades of Spinach Leaves (Fresh)

United States Consumer Standards for Fresh Spinach Leaves

What are some common varieties of spinach?

There exists a difference between the modern variety and the older variety of spinach. The reason is that the older varieties produce seeds quickly during warm conditions, while the modern varieties grow more rapidly as compared to the older varieties.

There are three primary varieties of spinach:

• Savoy
  

Has dark green, curly, and crinkly leaves. It is a variety that is sold in fresh bunches in various retailers (Jansen, 2018). Besides, Bloomsdale is one heirloom variety of this type of spinach. This variety is also resistant to bolt.

• Smooth/Flat Leaf Spinach
  

It has smooth broad leaves that are always easier to clean as compared to savoy. This variety is usually planted for frozen and canned spinach (Jansen, 2018). Besides, it is also used for processed foods, baby foods, and soups.

• Semi-Savoy
  

This kind is a hybrid variety, it has crinkled leaves. Additionally, it has the same texture compared to savoy, but it is easy to clean (Jansen, 2018). This variety also is grown for both processing and fresh markets. This variety is widely produced in the world in that it is resistant to producing seeds.

Trade Overview

Which countries export spinach the most?

In 2020, Belgium dominated the exporting side of the trade for spinach, with an annual export value of USD 99.48M, which held about 31.2% of the global export share. This was followed by China (26.7%) with an annual export value of USD 85.19M, Mexico (7.6%) with an export value of USD 24.34M, the Netherlands (7.4%) with an export value of USD 23.57M, and Spain (7%) with an export value of USD 22.60M.

Which countries import spinach the most?

In 2020, Japan dominated the global market on the purchasing side, accounting for 21% of the worldwide market share with an import value of USD 69.811M and 48K MT of import quantity. This was followed by the United States (16.7%) import value of USD 50.45M with an import quantity of 50.47K MT, Germany (USD 34.46M) with 42.40K MT, France (USD 23.79M) with 28.33K MT, and Belgium (USD 14.69M) with 16.03K MT. 

Quality Control/Certification

What factors can affect the quality of spinach?

The following are the factors that determine and promote the quality of spinach in the USA, according to Zitter &McGrath (2009):

• Include the practical application of fertilizers as recommended.
  

• The ability of consumers and individuals to accept the application of spinach should also help determine the quality of spinach produced in the USA.
  

• Planting spinach on fertile soil such as loam clay soil, loam soil, and silty soil with an adequate amount of water would also determine the quality of spinach leaves.
  

• Maturity during the harvesting period is also an essential factor in that the leaves should be harvested when it matures.
  

• Enough water supplies through rainfall and irrigation also play a significant role in determining the quality of spinach produced. The reason is that spinach consumes a lot of water, and the water supply should be adequate throughout the planting season.
  

• Lastly, adhering to the planting procedure also promotes the quality of spinach produced in that this action can only be carried out once the farmer adheres to the various procedures.
  

Which diseases and pests are spinach prone to?

Pests:

• Cutworms and wireworms – Cutworms cut young seedlings off at ground level, and wireworms feed on the foliage and roots. Older transplants are less appealing to these insects than tender seedlings.
  

• Flea beetles – Flea beetles feed on young foliage. The damage consists of several small holes, leaving the leaf looking as though it’s been hit by a blast from a shotgun. The leaves sometimes have bleached and pitted areas as well. The insects are so tiny that may never be seen.
  

• Slugs and snails – Slugs and snails also leave holes in spinach leaves. Can tell the difference by the size of the hole—slug and snail holes are much larger—and by the slime trail slugs and snails leave behind.
  

• Aphids – Aphids are probably the most common of spinach pests.
  

• Leaf miners – Leaf miners leave meandering tan trails on the leaves. Since these are feeding inside the leaves, contact insecticides aren’t effective.

Diseases:

• Damping-off – Damping-off disease causes seedlings to fall over and die soon after it emerge. Plant quality seeds and avoid overwatering to help prevent the disease.
  

• Downy mildew – Downy mildew causes yellow or light green spots on the upper surface of leaves with white fungus on the lower surface.
  

• Viruses – Viruses that infect spinach are often spread by insects, so control insect infestations as much as possible.