Almost 20% more seed onions will be harvested this year than in 2020. This is apparent from the preliminary crop harvest estimate for arable farming by Statistics Netherlands (CBS). It is the result of a record acreage and a relatively high yield per hectare.
In the provisional harvest estimate this year, Statistics Netherlands assumes 1,6 million tons of seed onions. This equals, if not surpasses, the record set in 2011. At that time, the preliminary harvest estimate was based on almost 1,5 million tons, but the final estimate was almost 1,6 million tons. In recent years, the gross yield has fluctuated between 0,9 million tons (2018) and 1,5 million tons (2017). The expected gross revenue for 2021 is 19,6% higher than last year.
The fact that the yield this year is significantly higher than last year does not come as a bolt from the blue. It was already known that the area showed a significant expansion this year. This year, 30.100 hectares of onions were sown. That is 2.900 hectares more than in 2020, a growth of 10,5%. A solid starting position for a record harvest.
Downy mildew causes major differences
What followed was a much more favorable growing season than in recent years. After three dry summers, which caused yield losses, especially in the southwest, there was relatively much rain this year. That did cause some water damage and quality problems. There were also major differences between regions, plots and companies, it was concluded Boerenbusiness in a previous harvest estimate.
The latter is confirmed by the preliminary harvest estimate from Statistics Netherlands. According to the statistics office, the differences in hectare yields per company are large, partly due to the attack by downy mildew as a result of the humid weather. On average, a yield of 52,2 tons of seed onions per hectare is expected. This means that the hectare yield is 6,5% higher than last year. The final yield then came to 49 tons per hectare.
Also considerably more second-year onion sets
The expected yield for second-year onion sets is also a lot higher than last year. It is assumed that 56,2 tons per hectare, while the final harvest estimate last year did not exceed 44,5 tons per hectare. Gross yield is estimated at 350.000 tons compared to 283.000 tons in 2020.