Aviko Potato's trial harvesting figures hardly show any movement. The growth has stopped and the harvest for long storage has started in the meantime. The balance sheet can also be drawn up in Belgium. In addition to a low yield, quality is also a major problem for some varieties.
The line in the chart of Aviko Potato is flat. The yield stands at just under 55 tons per hectare; it concerns gross tons (40 millimeters upwards) across all breeds in all areas. If we subtract 15%, then you arrive at a net yield of 46,75 tons per hectare. That is by far the lowest yield in the past 5 years, and probably the period before that.
Not the worst everywhere
The size of the parties hardly increased, but in the end these results are not the worst. In 2016, the parties were even better. Now about 80% is in the percentage 50 millimeters upwards. The same goes for the underwater weight (40 millimeters upwards), because that is equal to 2014 (385 grams). This was slightly lower in the years 2015 and 2017. However, an underwater weight of 31 grams was not peaked earlier in week 400.
Potato trading house Bruwier from Waregem in Belgium has published its latest trial harvesting figures for Bintje and Fontane. Fontane comes out at 44,3 tons per hectare (net), with almost 75% in the size 50 millimeters upwards. The samples still contain 1.700 kilos of undersize. Bruwier deducts 15% of the gross figures for the net result.
undersized
Bintje is of course even lower; 34,2 tons per hectare, half of which is coarser than 50 millimeters. To this is added almost 3 tons that are smaller than 50 millimeters. Bintje's underwater weight is 348 grams and Fontane's is 395 grams.
Compared to last year, when the yields were at a very high level, the result of Fontane is 28% lower and that of Bintje about 30%. If we compare that with the 5-year average, that is 20% and 30% less respectively. This confirms that the country is going about 25% less potatoes harvest.
20% floats
What is striking is that the proportion of 'glass potatoes' in the samples from the potato trading house is not too bad. 7% floats were found in the Bintjes and in Fontane there are hardly any. The figures that test center PCA publishes show a very different picture. The center assessed 320 samples. This shows that almost 20% of all Bintjes has to do with floats.
The lots have an average underwater weight of 330 grams, with peaks to 255 grams. There are far fewer floats in the Fontane and Challenger varieties. Depending on the location, this is a maximum of 3%. These figures refer to batches delivered in week 39.
PCA also notes that the quality of Bintje with through washing is currently deteriorating sharply. The primary tubers have been drained to such an extent (by the secondary tubers) that water pockets are created due to the very low starch content. These tubers will cause many problems in storage for the next 2 months. Leakage must be vented away.