Smaller potato area, considerably more yellow onions sown

This is evident from the provisional agricultural census of the arable crop area by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). The area figures have been published later than usual this year (normally on June 30) due to the later availability of results from the Combined Declaration. In total, the arable area increased by 3% this year to 549.000 hectares. The area has been increasing moderately in recent years. Compared to the year 2000, the total area in the Netherlands has decreased by 13%.

All potato crops in decline
Arable farmers have planted fewer consumption, seed and starch potatoes this season this year. The total potato area amounts to 158.077 hectares, a decrease of 3% compared to 2022. Consumption potato cultivation decreases by 1,5% to 75.484 hectares. The area is therefore in line with a previous analysis. Seed potato cultivation is declining the fastest of the three, by as much as 7,2% to 40.064 hectares. The surface area for starch potatoes decreased by 1,8% to 42.529 hectares, making it the lowest area since 2014.

Almost a quarter less red onions
Onion cultivation has increased again this season after an earlier decline in 2022. In total, onion cultivation covers 29.200 hectares this year. that is 6,7% or almost 2.000 hectares more than in 2022. Not surprising given the sky-high market prices of the past season. But if you analyze the figures, there are points that stand out. CBS makes a distinction between red and yellow onions. The increase in area is only due to the cultivation of yellow onions, because the area of ​​red onions has even shrunk compared to 2022. Yellow onion cultivation has increased by more than 3.000 hectares to 25.570 hectares, an increase of 13%. The share of red actually decreases from 4.910 to 3.695 hectares, a decrease of 24,7%! This year, yellow onions are grown on 87% of the area, which means the share of red onions is 13%. Last year the ratio was 82% to 18%. The area of ​​onion sets decreased by 5% to 5.480 hectares.

{{dataviewSnapshot(48_1693471742)}}

Just like onion cultivation, the wheat area has also increased this year. A total of 130.000 hectares of wheat were grown, 4,9% more than in 2022. That year, wheat cultivation also increased by 4% compared to the year before. Winter wheat is the biggest increaser with 12,3% to 121.000 hectares. This is partly due to the favorable sowing conditions last autumn, as the area of ​​spring wheat fell by 45,1%. The area of ​​barley amounts to 36.000 hectares, 3,2% less than in 2022. As with wheat, the share of spring barley also decreases sharply by 21%. Rapeseed cultivation is also making a significant jump this year in percentage terms. From 1.612 to 2.078 hectares.

Carrots and winter carrots show a different picture this year than last year when both crops decreased by approximately 20%. This year, the carrot area will increase again to 2.470 hectares, an increase of 12%. Winter carrots, on the other hand, are declining further, but by 5% less rapidly than last year and amount to 5.160 hectares.

Sugar beets stable, less corn
Sugar beet cultivation, at 80.634 hectares, was slightly lower than last year. Then 81.744 hectares were cultivated. This means that the surface area is at the same level as in 2021. Chicory cultivation is a lot less stable. Last year the cultivation already shrank by 7,7% and this year even by 22,5%. This makes the cultivation of 2.724 hectares the lowest in decades. Corn cultivation also decreased by 1,9% to 179.750 hectares. That is a comparable decrease to the year before.

Protein-rich and fiber crops are gaining ground
Protein-rich legumes and fiber crops such as flax and hemp only cover a limited area of ​​the total, but have been gaining ground in recent years. This year the area of ​​legumes has increased by 81% to 7.800 hectares. The increase is mainly due to field beans, the area of ​​which doubled, reaching 4.300 hectares. The cultivation of flax and hemp also increased by 18,6% to 4.300 hectares.