Belgian trial grubbing shows debacle

The yield of Fontane, which is the largest variety in Belgium in terms of acreage, amounted to approximately 24 tons per hectare. Only 40% of this falls into the French fries size. The situation is even more worrying for Bintje. There the yield was about 23 tons per hectare and only 23% (or 5 tons per hectare) was suitable for French fries.

Yields have averaged around 10 tons per hectare over the past 30 years. In the (price-wise) good 2016/2017 season, the first samplings around the harvest also amounted to 30 tons. Ultimately, yields amounted to just under 45 tons, which had to do with abundant rainfall onwards drought. At the time, that was the lowest yield in years.

This year the final yield is expected to be lower. Ripening has already started on many plots with Fontane. Few flushing problems have been reported in the breed, while this is the case in Bintje.

Yields vary
The underwater weight in the potatoes of the Fontane variety was between 369 and 450 grams per 5 kilos. These high weights indicate that the crops are suffering enormously from the drought, which means that a crop failure seems imminent. These data come from test harvests on 18 plots with Bintje and 27 plots with Fontane. The differences between the plots are large. For example, a yield of 1 tons per hectare was achieved on 45 plot.

Belgian growers speak of a tragedy, especially for the late-planted potatoes of the Fontane variety. In the areas around the French border, 60 millimeters of rain fell locally last week, which gave the potatoes in the area an extra blow.The yields of a potato plant in Flanders (end of July).