The seed potato harvest has started in several areas. The foliage has been killed on most plots, with the exception of the late varieties. But how is the harvest progressing and what are the yields like?
Some of the early seed potato plots have been harvested in the past 2 weeks. The weather was optimal for this. Last week's rain meant that growers were able to harvest with much less risk of damage. About half of the growers are now busy with harvesting. The main harvest will have to wait a while, but the first results of trial harvesting are known there. The general picture of yield and quality is quite similar among growers, advisers and traders.
Around the long-term average
Gerard Backx, director at HZPC, expects that the yield will probably be just below or around the long-term average. “That is much better than the 2018 harvest, but it is certainly not a top yield from a long-term perspective. It is clear, however, that a considerable part has been declassified, just like in 2018. That also has consequences for the follow-up inspection.”
Wouter Mutsaers, co-owner of Q-potato, expects the yields to be normal. “If you look at the Netherlands as a whole, the average yield is clearly higher than last year. Look at Zeeland, for example, where certainly more tons come from the land. There are no areas that really let it down this year, although the yields in the Achterhoek are clearly less.”
East Netherlands less
A grower from the east of the country agrees. Trial harvesting shows that his yield is around 33 tons gross per hectare, although he expects this to increase slightly on average. The long-term average on his farm is well above 40 tons. Still, it is better in the Achterhoek than last year. Last year, yields in this region were approximately between 15 and 20 tons per hectare.
“Based on trial harvests, I expect the average yield to be around 40 tons per hectare,” says Olaf van Campen, advisor at Adama. “These are irrigated plots. You also have plots that exceed 50 tons per hectare, but the general picture for the Netherlands shows an average yield.
Irrigation is turning out very well this season, according to a study group: the additional yield with multiple irrigations was around 8 to 10 tons. In areas such as North Friesland, Groningen and Zeeland, where it is not possible to irrigate, the yields are therefore less.”
Good quality
According to Van Campen, the quality of the seed potatoes generally appears to be good. “There is no through-washing and it is also not so bad with rhizoctonia.” Everyone agrees that a lot of virus has been observed in the field, which will also have serious consequences in the follow-up. Remarkable, but also in line with expectations with the high lice pressure. However, the picture is exactly the opposite compared to other cases, in which bacterial disease was more common.
It can be concluded that the yields are average. But what does this mean for the prices of the seed potatoes? “I expect that we will have a healthy market”, says Mutsaers. “On the one hand you see good demand for the seed potatoes, but on the other hand average yields. Growers who managed the shortages in a creative way last year due to the tight stock (with, for example, farm seed potatoes), want to catch up this year with healthy seed potatoes from the Netherlands. However, the question is what we should invest in, after we ended at such a high price level last year.”
Harvest progress
The expected heat in the coming period will play a role in the progress of the harvest. “Harvesting with temperatures around 25 to 30 degrees Celsius is a risk. Then you run the risk of the potatoes choking. But there is no great pressure on the harvest for the time being, it is still August," says van Campen.