Is giving up the harvest an option?

Not only the potato harvest is in a difficult situation, this also applies to the potato market. With prices of €2 to €3, the reward is not great and the market is under pressure compelling offer. How much costs must be incurred to clear the last hectares?

Zeeland not ready
Despite challenging circumstances, work has sometimes been done around the clock to harvest as much as possible. This is clearly noticeable in the figures. The last stretch is particularly difficult in the southwest, although this also applies to North Holland and Flevoland, for example. Locally, a few plots still had to be cleared, compared to around 10% in the southwest. Aviko Potato calculate that about 2% still had to be cleared before the weekend. Insiders think this is something more. There are still plots of land, mainly in Zeeland. Mostly in Zeeuws-Vlaanderen. Most potatoes have been harvested on the islands.

As written last week, it is mainly Belgium where a considerable area still needs to be cleared. It is estimated that approximately 6.700 hectares (15%) have not yet been harvested. Aviko's figures show hardly any progress in a week. That's about right, although our southern neighbors have indeed been cleared. However, there was recent rain, which sometimes delayed the harvest.

Drier weather on the way
Significant rain fell, especially on Sunday, November 15. In the southwest about 10 millimeters. This also applies to Flanders. There was slightly more rain in Wallonia, especially on the west side. The plots are saturated and cannot accommodate another millimeter. This week's weather forecast predicts a little bit of water in Belgium, with temperatures rising again. Drier weather with more sunshine is now expected for the last week of November, but also lower temperatures due to a wind that shifts from the southwest to the southeast. This also applies to the southwest of our country, where slightly less precipitation is expected.

Back to that initial question: is giving up an option? With man and power and a lot of machine force, the last potatoes have been harvested in many places. This entails enormous costs that cannot be repaid in the free market. In addition, it is an attack on the ground. Yet most plots are harvested because no one wants enormous storage and disease pressure next year. Headlands and very wet places are often left alone. Just like last year, there are growers who (sometimes forced) take the gamble of leaving them alone. The idea is that harvesting can also be done next spring.

Germination
With slightly better weather in prospect, there may still be a chance to get the harvest on dry land at the end of November or beginning of December. Last autumn we learned that product quality does not always have to suffer, although it will require the necessary attention during storage. Especially now that it is no longer possible to fall back on the trusted CIPC. Batches that have entered at relatively high temperatures are already showing signs of germination, despite MH spraying. Apart from the corona consequences, these continue to weigh on the market. At least until early next year.