Favorable growing conditions in Belgium have ensured that the Fontane and Bintje plots, which PCA follows during the season, have not yet finished their regrowth. Knowing more? Subscribe to 'Potato Market'.
On average, the 13 Fontane plots that PCA samples in Flanders are still very green. The average ripening is 36%, but the spread is very wide at 4% to 60%. The crops have had a relatively long period of 157 growing days. Due to the green crop, 2 kilos per day grew in the past 550 weeks.
Good yields
The gross yield is 59,3 tons per hectare. Without undersize, this is 58,6 tons per hectare. The spread is between 45 and 70 tons per hectare and 5 of the 13 plots yielded 65 tons or more.
The multi-year average for Fontane in Flanders is 54 tonnes per hectare gross. Only in 2014 was the yield at an even higher level than this year. With 89% 50 millimeters upwards, the grading is slightly coarser than average.
The underwater weight at the Fontane plots has decreased slightly, to 385. Floats were hardly observed. Tare mainly consists of deformed tubers. Hol was not found. The baking quality is rated as excellent.
Bintje grows to average
4 of the 11 Bintje plots have now been sprayed to death and 1 plot has died naturally, while the other plots have died on average by three quarters. The plots average 158 growing days. In previous years this was 140 to 150 days. Additional growth has occurred over the past 2 weeks. Without undersize, the yield is 47,3 tons per hectare. This is 49,4 tonnes gross. The average over 10 years is 48 tons per hectare, without undersize.
Plots with floats
The percentage of 50 millimeters upwards is 70% average. PCA comes to an underwater weight of 369, with 1 outlier. On 2 plots this is 340 with 9% and 11% floats. Baking quality is excellent and the tare percentage is averagely low, apart from some deformed tubers.