'Pricing is a kind of market game'

Arjan Jacobs is an arable farmer from Wezup (Drenthe) and participant in the Gewastour. He sees the tour as a valuable way to exchange knowledge and gain insight into market developments. Collaboration with other farmers is self-evident to him. By sharing machines and tractors, he works more efficiently and keeps costs manageable.

"I like participating in the Crop Tour," says Arjen. "There are people with a lot of knowledge and you hear about prices and construction plans. It's always interesting to know that." Arjen works a lot with farmers in his area, for example by exchanging machines and tractors with each other. "It makes the work more efficient. You don't have to buy everything yourself."

For the Crop Tour, Arjen uses the same plot as six years ago. "Last year there were potatoes there, this year there are red onions. It is all sandy soil." The cultivation of the crops is not without challenges. "The pressure of mildew and nematodes is something I worry about. Last year I also had problems with wireworms in the onions. More and more is coming at you." This year, we are following four plots with red onions within the Crop Tour. Arjen himself grows a plot of red onions on a piece of land where sugar beets grew last year. The previous crop on the plot with yellow onions was potatoes.

Despite the challenges, Arjen remains optimistic. "The cultivation involves high costs, but if there is a shortage of onions on a larger scale, both in the Netherlands and in the rest of Europe, the market will adjust. At the moment the onion market is quite calm, but I expect the demand to increase soon. There is much lower quality on the market now, but that will eventually be eliminated, which will create space for better parties."

Arjen notices that the pressure on crop protection is increasing. "The pressure is increasing and we can use fewer resources, which makes it more exciting." He also does not want to sow too early to prevent the crops from suddenly growing too quickly and getting too much stress. "It is important that your crops do not experience too much stress. This year I want to store a bit more, so that I can store both yellow and red onions. It is a way of spreading the risk."

At the moment Arjen grows everything freely, without contracts. "That gives me the freedom to make my own choices." He is also considering purchasing a spot sprayer together with other growers. "They are still very expensive, so maybe we can do it together with several growers."

Arjen is quite positive about the future of agriculture. "I see it well. Wherever there is less of it, consumption will increase. The demand for food will always remain." He thinks growing onions is the best job. "The pricing makes it fun, it's a kind of market game."

Arjen has clear memories of the beginning of his agricultural career. "My father died when I was sixteen. I took over the company then. At first everything was done by contract work, now I run everything myself." His advice for young farmers is simple: "You have to go for it completely if you really want to do it. Just start and follow your own plan. There is no other farmer who looks in exactly the same direction." Arjen sees his company in the future as it is now. "I do want to expand in storage, but otherwise the company will remain as it is now."

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