Belgium: less seed from abroad

The Belgian potato sector wants to become less dependent on foreign seed potatoes. That is one of the 8 spearheads of the newly established potato sector organisation.

In Belgium, the potato sector organization Belpotato.be was founded on 20 January. In this organization, the General Farmers Syndicate (ABS), Belgapom, Boerenbond, Fiwap and the Fédération Wallonne des Agriculteurs work together to meet the challenges for the potato sector.

The trade association has already released a list of priorities. The main priority is the environmental, economic and social sustainability of the sector. There is also a need for more research and more coherence between the various institutions. Another point is that market information will be collected and analyzed by the organization.

Problems with germination
One of the spearheads is that Belgium should become less dependent on foreign seed potatoes. According to the trade association, the quality of the seed potatoes has regularly caused problems with regard to germination in recent years.

This can have a significant financial impact on growers of ware potatoes, the organization writes in a press release. That is why the Belgian production of certified seed potatoes must grow in the most commonly used protected varieties. The Netherlands is the largest supplier of seed potatoes to Belgium.

Anne-Jan Doorn

Anne Jan Doorn is an arable expert at Boerenbusiness. He writes about the various arable farming markets and also focuses on the land and energy market.

aj.doorn@boerenbusiness. Nl

© 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.