If farmers want to harvest, the weather is not good

After being busy with the reel all season, the precipitation came in September that almost every grower looked forward to. For the harvest of potatoes and onions, a shower couldn't hurt to improve the harvesting process. In the second half of last month, the rain caused flooding, especially in the south, which brought the harvest to a complete halt for some time. 

The precipitation sum map of the KNMI clearly shows that Zeeland has been hit hardest by precipitation. The precipitation there rose to 280 millimeters in a month. The map also shows that in general the southwest of the Netherlands has had the most precipitation. In Noord-Holland, Zuid-Holland and Noord-Brabant, the precipitation sum amounted to far above 100 millimeters. The harvest has not always been much delayed in these regions. Clearing was often possible between showers.

Due to the high amount of precipitation in September, the precipitation deficit has fallen to below 5% of the driest years. However, this comes too late in the season, now that the onions and many potato plots have finished growing. The precipitation deficit stood at 224 mm at the end of September, which was almost 100 mm more at the beginning of that month.

The temperature in September dropped back to the average. Last month we were still two degrees above the average and three above last year, this year we are just slightly below the average and it is also colder than last year with an average of 14,6 degrees.

Robin Winter

Intern at the Boerenbusiness Dutch Crop tour

r.dewinter@boerenbusiness. Nl

© DCA Market Intelligence. This market information is subject to copyright. It is not permitted to reproduce, distribute, disseminate or make the content available to third parties for compensation, in any form, without the express written permission of DCA Market Intelligence.