At the end of June, Statistics Netherlands published preliminary acreage figures based on the Agricultural Census. This showed that the acreage for ware potatoes is decreasing by 2,3%. Boer&Bunder provides insight into how this is designed at provincial and municipal level. In which province is cultivation shrinking and are there also growers?
The area for consumption potatoes this year amounts to 76.624 hectares, according to the raw data from RVO.nl, which Boer&Bunder uses for their online application. This is slightly less than the 77.070 hectares reported by Statistics Netherlands reported the end of June. A year earlier, the area was 79.067 hectares, which means the difference is 3% based on these detailed data. No distinction is made between fries and table potatoes. The area has decreased in 10 of the 12 provinces this year.
Largest area, largest decline
North Brabant has the largest surface area for ware potatoes: 18.600 hectares. In 2011, this southern part of the country took over the leading position from Zeeland in terms of potato production and has not relinquished this title. It also records the largest decrease in area (-727 hectares). However, the Brabant area continues to maintain above the 5-year average. Potato cultivation has only expanded over the last 5 years, which means that this year it is still at the second highest level ever.
The traditional Brabant cultivation areas on clay soil still form the majority of the Brabant acreage. The municipalities of Altena, Moerdijk and Steenbergen together account for almost 30% of the total consumption area in the province. However, a significant shift is noticeable here. This year the provincial share will drop to one fifth. Good for 1.340 hectares fewer potatoes. This is almost double the total decrease in North Brabant, from which we can conclude that cultivation has actually increased in areas with sandy soil.
Traditional grower fails
There are several reasons for this shift. These are traditional cultivation areas with a relatively high percentage of free growers and with a traditional construction plan. They have probably chosen their money's worth, pre-sorting for the coming sales season. Potato companies on sandy soil are much more specialized. They often maintain their areas.
If we look at the soil type nationally, 60% of the potatoes for consumption are grown on clay soil and 37% on sandy soil. The rest is loess and peat soil. A year earlier, these percentages were virtually the same.
There is no single crop that can replace potatoes in the rotation this season. The wheat area recorded a significant decrease of 1%, which is mainly due to the unfavorable sowing conditions. It is therefore not surprising that barley cultivation actually increased by 13%. The cultivation of onions, sugar beet grass and corn have also increased. The loss of potatoes has therefore been compensated for in terms of width.
Zeeland farmer maintains area
Potato growers in Zeeland have reasoned differently. Consumption potato cultivation here is down only 1,2% this season, bringing the surface area almost exactly to the 5-year average. However, if we compare the 14.900 hectares with the trend over 15 years, a minus of 2,3% is visible. While there is almost only visible growth in Brabant (6.500 hectares in 15 years), cultivation in Zeeland has quietly declined. In South Holland (number 3) the area fluctuates much more. Growers here reduce by 2,6%, but the acreage remains above average.
There is also a downward trend in Flevoland - number 4 in the potato rankings. In 2015, consumer cultivation fell below 10.000 hectares and did not rise again. This season the province recorded a minus of 1,54%, making the area below average. It is interesting to mention that almost more consumption potatoes are now grown in South Holland than in Flevoland.
Decline in Eastern Netherlands
The sandy soils in eastern Netherlands, which are also regarded as a growing region for potatoes, all recorded a reduction in area this season. After Brabant, Drenthe recorded the largest decline of minus 7,5%. Good for more than 300 hectares. This is on top of the 2019 decline, which ended 12 years of increases. The cultivation of starch potatoes is holding up, but seed onions in particular are as popular as ever in this province. A similar scenario is unfolding in Groningen, where consumption potato cultivation is more stable due to the share grown on the Hogeland.
Conclusion
The only 2 provinces that do show growth in consumer cultivation are Friesland and Utrecht. This concerns several dozen hectares, because these provinces also grow the fewest potatoes for consumption. Based on the figures per province, we can conclude that arable farmers on clay soil in particular have decided to plant less this season. It is often a trend that has been visible for some time, but is becoming more apparent this year. Shrinkage is also visible in the newer cultivation areas on sandy soil, although it is much less significant. Growers here have been able to secure sufficient contracts or are growing a larger percentage of potatoes freely this season. There are no identifiable substitutes for potatoes, although onion cultivation is flourishing amid a decline in potato cultivation.
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