Belgian onions and carrots fluctuating due to drought

Throughout the year, large parts of Belgium have to make do with a precipitation deficit. Despite the recent rainfall, it remains dry in most regions. Joost Litjens, cultivation specialist at seed company bejo, toured Belgium this week to visit carrot and onion plots. The route roughly ran through the Antwerp-Brussels-Liège triangle.

Irrigating a pre
Litjens describes the situation on carrot and onion plots as very variable in Flanders and Wallonia. "What is immediately noticeable is that irrigated plots are in much better shape than where this is not possible. Irrigation is an advantage for vegetable crops," he says. "The hilly landscape doesn't help the crop either. There is quite a difference between the hills and the valleys. It is very dry on the heads and you can tell by the crop."

Gambling on a nice carrot
Plots of carrots have also been sown in Belgium, Litjens knows. "There were too few plants per hectare. This has everything to do with a lack of precipitation and the very high temperatures. As a rule, we apply that the seed quantity should decrease by 1 seeds per week from 100.000 June. Normally you sow 1,8, 1,2 million seeds for B carrot. The last oversowing comes to 1,3 to XNUMX million seeds. The standing density determines the length of the carrot. Because there are fewer growing days, and therefore fewer hours of sunshine, the carrot does not grow as coarse. This is because the turnout has been disappointing everywhere, growers who have transplanted are hoping for more demand for fine carrots."

Area stable
The cultivation specialist mainly visited plots of B carrots that are grown under contract for the Belgian industry. "Belgian rinsers prefer the Nerac variety, which you see almost everywhere," he says. "The acreage at our southern neighbors is stable. The surface area has increased in recent years, but the recent pricing is tempering this. The contract prices are also at a lower level. The main export market Germany prefers to first buy its own German carrots. Only when they have no or insufficient stock themselves do they knock on the door in Belgium or the Netherlands. A trend that has been gaining momentum in recent years."

Few free onions
Relatively speaking, the cultivation of onions in Belgium has increased sharply in recent years. Litjens also notices a quality improvement that is being made by the professional growers. "Belgian onions are grown very little. Most of it is fixed by contract. Belgian growers prefer this. In addition to Belgian traders, the large Dutch onion processors from the southwest of the country are also all active in Belgium. You can now see a few investing in a warehouse. However, most onions are stored centrally or at the trader. We also see a number of young people switching to organic. Mildew-resistant onions and strong B-carrot varieties are very suitable for organic cultivation."

Low disease pressure
"Mechanization has been professionalized quickly in recent years. Experience has been gained in the Netherlands. Here too you now come across the cultivation system with a bed width of 2,25 meters. The irrigated plots are remarkably better, although the picture is variable. in the hills you can see the lack of moisture in the crop. The onions are already ironing there, while they are still upright in the valley. The first MH spraying is now being carried out. Because a lot is grown on virgin soil, you notice that the disease pressure is lower. Fusarium expresses itself less. Thrips are also found there, but to a lesser extent. In the northeast of the Netherlands we see that, as cultivation intensifies, the disease pressure also increases rapidly. That will be no different in Belgium. "We have yet to prove, but has the potential to deliver a good quality onion. Previously, these arable farmers mainly grew grain and sugar beet. Because grain prices have been low for several years in a row, they are looking for alternatives."

Damage from thrips
According to Litjens, it is a general idea this season that the onions have less foliage. This is also noticeable in the Netherlands and is a result of the lack of precipitation, which means that the onion has absorbed fewer nutrients. "Irrigated plots have a little more pipe, so they can continue to grow for longer." Arable farmers in the Netherlands talk about a very high pressure of thrips. "You hear a lot of stories about thrips in onions. I come across them in both conventional and organic fields," says Litjens. "You notice that a strong and healthy crop suffers less than a weakened crop with stress. To combat them you have to hit the thrips. That is why spraying is done at night. The rain also has a noticeable effect on the pressure. not fun."

Photo impression of some Belgian plots. Photos: Bejo
A plot of B carrot of the Nerac variety in the Haspengouw region.

The Nerac variety is popular among Belgian flushers. The acreage is experienced as stable.

A parcel of seed onions of the Hybelle variety in the Haspengouw region. Plots that have been irrigated are remarkably better than those that cannot be irrigated.

Centurion second year onion sets planted with a precision planter.

Belgian onions are often grown on virgin soil. The disease pressure is low. Qualitatively, this soil has yet to prove itself, but this seems to be in order.