The acreage for ware potatoes in Flanders will grow by 4% this year. This growth is almost entirely attributable to an expansion in West Flanders. In the regions of Antwerp and Flemish Brabant, cultivation actually decreased.
According to data from the BRP - the annual statement for the Brussels CAP - 51.830 hectares of consumption potatoes will be grown in Flanders this year. has that data Boer&Bunder Flanders. The figure is in line with previous figures posts who spoke of 51.000 hectares in Flanders and 40.800 hectares in Wallonia. However, the Walloon figures are published in Boer&Bunder with a one-year delay.
2.200 additional hectares in West Flanders
In the province of West Flanders, the area this season is 24.645 hectares. That is the fifth largest area ever. With 10% growth - good for 2.200 hectares - this part of Flanders accounts for the lion's share of the area increase. This amounts to less than 2.000 hectares. How is that possible?
This is in the provinces of Limburg, Antwerp and Flemish Brabant. The area there is decreasing by a few percent. In addition to West Flanders, only East Flanders shows an increase in surface area. At 353 hectares (-6%), the decrease is greatest in Flemish Brabant.
It is difficult to say which crops had to be cleared for potato cultivation. Many crops are also showing a plus this season. The area of grassland has decreased by 3.632 hectares. Perhaps more potatoes will be grown here. That is a special movement, by the way. Since the end of last year, there have been strong rumors that livestock farmers were renting out less land due to an impending change in legislation, which will require more land to spread manure.
Significantly more corn sown
The corn area has also not suffered this plus 6%, which is good for no less than 9.567 hectares. This is largely the case grain corn, the cultivation of which has increased by a third. The area of winter wheat in Flanders has shrunk, but that of spring wheat has increased by 120%. Spring barley is also positive, with 63%. Winter barley cultivation has increased by 9% to almost 14.500 hectares.
The cultivation expansion in West Flanders is probably partly due to a smaller area for industrial vegetables. We see this, for example, in the area of carrots, which has decreased by 30%. A decrease is also visible in the amount of grassland. The decrease here – of about 2.000 hectares – is almost sufficient to accommodate the expansion of consumption potatoes. On the other hand, the area of maize has also increased by no less than 3.800 hectares.
Flemish arable farmers have hardly started growing seed potatoes anymore. The area is growing by 2%, which amounts to 1.421 hectares. Most of this is also grown in West Flanders.