Current spring is a repeat of 2023

On average, 82 millimeters of precipitation fell in April, which is almost the same as a year earlier. The month of May has also started soaking wet in many places, with a monthly amount of precipitation in just a few days. Several tens of millimeters fell in the south of the country. Limburg takes the cake, with rainfall amounts of up to 90mm. That is the pattern of spring 2024, thanks to a persistent southerly flow. The southeast and southwest fare increasingly poorly compared to the center and north of our country, where significantly less rain falls.

Catching up
The weather maps are a good reflection of the progress of sowing and planting. Regionally the differences are enormous. In Flevoland, and in particular the Flevopolder, the work is well advanced. The sugar beets and onions are largely in the ground and the planting of potatoes for consumption is also well underway. Arable farmers in the Noordoostpolder have made tremendous progress last week. Further north, arable farmers have even more work to do on the clay. In the east and northeast, progress is highly dependent on where you are. Not all plots are competent. Even spreading manure is a task.

At the end of April, more than half of the seed onions were in the ground. Quite a bit was sown again last week. A quarter or more perhaps. Some of the newly sown onions received a heavy shower on Thursday. The weekend certainly wasn't dry either. How that will work out for the crops remains to be seen. Plots sown at the end of March have suffered locally from excessive precipitation and hail, but a combination of moisture and temperature is now ensuring that these crops develop quickly. Due to the regular showers, crust formation has usually not been a problem.

Less area?
Last spring, the limits were tested (and exceeded) in terms of sowing dates for onions. Many plots that were dug up after May 10 were barely able to develop due to a very dry, lean period. Only after the longest day did foliage development start, which resulted in disappointing yields and the formation of many thick necks (bolts). With these risks and high costs in mind, the question is how many onion growers still dare to sow onions at the moment. A significantly dampened market also does not contribute to the mood to gamble with onions. It area – which was estimated at 7% to 10% growth prior to the season – may turn out differently than previously thought.

The situation with sugar beets is similar. According to figures from Cosun, more than half of all beets were in the ground at the beginning of last week. In the Flevopolder it was 92% and East Brabant 27%. That once again shows the major differences. A lot has been sown in one week, which will most likely make the sowing date comparable to last year (April 26). Regionally this could be considerably later, depending on when growers can get back on the land. Late sowing costs sugar – around 750 kilos per hectare is the rule – but last year's experience shows that this can be compensated by the root yield.

Early potatoes with a significant backlog
Then the potatoes. Planting progress is again similar to last year and is sometimes even further behind. Aviko estimates that barely 20% of their growers' consumption area is in the ground at the beginning of May. In Belgium it would be only 5%. For growers there, and in the South of the Netherlands, it is already a challenge to plant the early potatoes. What should not be forgotten is the condition of the soil. It is far from optimal and that is a difference from spring '23. The surface is saturated with moisture and that will not change quickly.

Aviko's estimate may be on the conservative side. In the southwest, growers were able to plant potatoes for consumption in small quantities last week. Especially on the lighter plots that were in short supply. That was certainly not easy on the clay in Zeeland and Brabant. Rain again threw a spanner in the works from Wednesday, after which the planting machines came to a standstill. The situation is not much better in the southeast of the country. Further north, planting has started well and the hectares are flying through.

Effects
A later planting date does not have to be a problem for potatoes. Excellent yields were also achieved last year in late-planted plots. The risk lies in the harvest time, which is pushed back. Growers also experienced these consequences last year. The ticking clock is a danger, especially for onions. Much depends on the coming weeks. The weather will be drier this week, although the south of our country - together with Belgium and France - will first experience some showers. 

An upcoming high-pressure area in Western Europe should produce stable and dry weather from the end of this week. In current weather maps, this period even lasts the entire month. If that expectation comes true, then no man will be left overboard. It is pleasantly warm. In combination with sufficient moisture, the crops have an ideal start. It is mainly the early crops that suffer from a backlog that cannot easily be caught up.