Blog Growers meeting NAK
Seed potato growers unanimous about B standard expansion
The NAK kicks off tonight in Espel with the first growers' meeting of this winter. Growth cracks are of course high on the agenda, but the structural class B standard and Erwinia are also discussed.
20: 00: Jan van der Heijden, chairman of the Advisory Council, opens the first growers' meeting. First of all, he looks back on the exceptional growing season in 2016. 'That has had an impact on the quality, including growth cracks. This generated a lot of reaction from the entire sector.' ICT is an important point for the NAK to invest in, as is new equipment for AM sampling.
20: 10: Arjan Kroon explains, among other things, more about IT developments within the NAK. From 2017, applications will be developed and built for AM, field inspection and declaration, among other things. This is still mostly done on paper. Hopefully the AM application will be operational at the start of the new AM season. The NAK now also uses big data. Among other things, for Erwinia research.
Kroon publishes the financial forecast for 2016. The NAK has turned out well. With more than half a million euros more turnover than budgeted, partly due to more seed potato certification. The operating result is a ton more favorable than the forecast. Therefore, more refund will be charged to members, which will be settled in 2017. In 2016 this amounted to 700.000 euros. The rate of seed potato certification will remain frozen for this year. The statutory 1 percent increase for sowing seeds. The same turnover is expected for 2017. A hectare amount for the Erwinia test will not be levied in 2017 either. From 2018, all rates are expected to rise again as usual.
Kroon also mentions the strategy up to and including 2020. One aspect is the emergence problem of ware potatoes. This is how the next season starts. For example, work is being done on a vitality test for seed potatoes.
20: 30: Ton Stolte discusses the adjustment of the B standard or, the expansion of growth cracks. One possibility is to align the NAK standard with the EU directive. There is a difference between the two standards mainly in the area of cosmetic defects. The EU standard offers options, among other things, to constantly use the standard of 1,5 centimeters for growth cracks. A few percent expansion is also possible with Erwinia and virus.
There is a demand for more seed potatoes of a broader standard from the consumption potato sector in the Netherlands and some destinations. Purely for the B standard and structurally. The reaction of the growers is clear. They are against broadening the standard, certainly with a view to vitality and attendance problems. Moreover, how is traded in a year with seed potato surpluses? 'The NAK is looking for a structural solution and does not want to apply a 'yo-yo policy',' says Stolte. Seed potato growers see a structural extension of the standard mainly as undermining the NAK certificate. In previous years, the French fries industry asked for an increase in quality. That is not possible with a standard increase.
Chairman Van der Heijden responds to the question whether the NAK regrets the decision afterwards? The inspection service supports its decision. However, they are not proud, as indicated earlier. However, alternatives are not available. Despite the fact that the aforementioned plus of 20.000 tons in practice amounts to 2.000 to 4.000 tons.
The person submitting the standard extension via the VAVI is also present. He explains: 'Agrico and HZPC were unable to fulfill agreements made three years ago. Potatoes and chips have been sold to McDonalds that are not there. Despite all the efforts that were made, a shortage remained. Hence this request. Power rests with the trading houses with their monopoly varieties, not with the potato processors. A shortage continues to arise, which can be seen in the price formation of Bintje.
Growers vote. Structural B standard broadening: Everyone is against. However, if it concerns purely cosmetic defects, half of the audience is positive. For Erwinia and virus is one hundred percent against.
21: 20: Stolte goes further on quality. In the Noordoostpolder in 9 places with chitwoodi contamination before 2017. A significant expansion of 'circular areas'. 87 percent of all NAK growers participate in the hygiene protocol. It is currently not possible to oblige growers by law.
Stolte presents the NAK vision on Erwinia. Goal: fewer setbacks in progeny. In twenty years, the contamination has decreased slightly in the classes PB and S, despite a significant increase in acreage. However, annual differences are large. After three positive years, 2016 stood out in a negative way with a lot of contamination. The NAK notes, among other things, that there are large differences in varieties. 'Robust' varieties sometimes have a high latent Erwinia infection, but they hardly show this in the field. However, earmarking varieties is a step too far, given the interests involved. Risk-oriented research does not bring any benefit in practice.
22: 10: During the survey, concerns were expressed about the seed plants with growth cracks that were rejected. The fear is that these seed potatoes will still be planted illegally. Chairman Van der Heijden responds to this that the NAK will check in the field next spring for certificates present during planting.
Niels van der Boom
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