Inside Potatoes
Poten is approaching the end, but drought remains a concern
Arable farmers across northwestern Europe have used the last week of April to plant potatoes. The percentages are therefore skyrocketing. At the beginning of May, rain fell very widely and by no means everywhere. It remains a concern, as does a delayed start due to the cold.
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Choose the subscription that suits youAccording to Aviko Potato figures for last week, planting in the Netherlands is nearing its end, with more than 85% planted. Particularly in South Limburg, quite a bit of work still had to be done. Because hardly any rain has fallen there, arable farmers have been able to work there undisturbed. Only a small amount of rain also fell in the north and southwest. The last 10% to 15% can be filled in quickly. The most precipitation fell in Central Netherlands, with as much as 60 millimeters in Lelystad. Planting in Flevoland was already well advanced. There is therefore no question of large-scale delays.
Catching up
Not much precipitation fell in Belgium and France either. The planters have planted many hectares there. In Wallonia and Northern France the pace was not yet that high, but that has changed rapidly. According to Aviko, almost 90% of Belgian potatoes have been planted and in France this is slightly more. In Germany, 20% still needs to be planted.
The rain may have fallen in scattered places, but the low temperatures are present throughout Europe. Even now, the mercury in France still drops just below zero at night. This will certainly cause a growth delay of 2 to 3 weeks. The European MARS report – which was published last week – still assumes a good starting position for potato crops. After all, the soil has a good structure and planting is going well. Drought and cold certainly play a role, but do not mean that the harvest forecast is negative.
Warm weather, but not always rain
Finally, the weather forecasts are calling for a turnaround, with significantly higher temperatures this weekend. With the rain expected to fall this week, this will ensure that the newly planted potato crops can develop well. Sufficient precipitation will soon become a critical point if sufficient rain does not fall in the drier areas this week. Significant precipitation is still expected in Belgium this week, but not in France. In Germany, rain is expected mainly on Tuesday, May 4.