News Potatoes
Trial harvesting VTA scores above average
The potato crops of VTA growers yield an average of 9% more than the 5-year average. This is reported by the United Growers Arable Farming (VTA) following the trial harvesting that was carried out in mid-August.
The yield of various ware potato varieties was sampled in mid-August from a fixed group of growers. This concerns the large chip potato varieties and a few smaller varieties with a limited input. The average yield of the samples is 46,9 tons per hectare.
Large spread between plots
The result is 9% above the 5-year average of 43 tons per hectare and almost 30% higher than the 36,4 tons of 1 year earlier. However, it is not the highest measured yield. This was achieved in 2014, with an interim yield of almost 50 tons per hectare. On average, the batches are slightly coarser than average, with 60% in the size 50 millimeters or coarser. The average is 58%. The tuber number is also slightly higher at 4%.
The spread between the best and the worst plots is large, notes VTA. This is also clearly noticeable in other test harvesting figures. The least parcel is 27 tons per hectare, while the best is already more than 68 tons.
Varying crop status
In addition to a difference in yield, the position of the crop also varies. One plot is already far withered, while some plots are fresh green. Significant wear and tear has been noticeable in some cases in recent weeks. The sampling took place before the heat wave, which means that the crop status may now be different again.
Another trial grubbing-up will be carried out in mid-September to assess how much regrowth has taken place. VTA has been doing this since 2001 and uses a fixed protocol for this.
Do regions influence the numbers?
According to Bert Timmermans, the chairman of the potato trade committee at VTA, the figures are a good reflection of the situation in the field. However, it should be noted that the members of VTA have traditionally been located mainly in the southwest and Flevoland. Here, where possible, there is intensive rainfall and during the season there was more precipitation than the eastern side of our country.
"An awful lot has been invested in irrigation capacity everywhere. We are not yet registering whether a sampled plot has been irrigated, but this will undoubtedly have an impact on the figures. The south-east may have been very dry, but it is precisely here that there is a lot of irrigation. is that the yields are very heterogeneous. You can find good and bad crops everywhere."
Not comparable to 2018
According to him, the situation is not comparable to 2018, which also applies to onions. "We started with a better soil structure, had better crop development and later the heat. This has been positive for growth," summarizes Timmermans. "We have looked critically at the figures and think that this reflects reality well. In addition to the irrigation capacity, the new varieties are also stronger and yield more. The cultivation continues to professionalize and you notice that in all areas."
Whether the figures continue to score above average remains to be seen for VTA. "After the trial harvesting, we had the heat wave, which means that crops have deteriorated further," says Timmermans. "My gut feeling is that we've lost the yield plus, because it wasn't ideal weather for regrowth."
Niels van der Boom
© DCA Market Intelligence. This market information is subject to copyright. It is not permitted to reproduce, distribute, disseminate or make the content available to third parties for compensation, in any form, without the express written permission of DCA Market Intelligence.
