More than 5.000 hectares of onions still on the land

It is difficult to give an exact figure regarding the percentage that has not yet been entered. After all, you cannot cut the areas with scissors. As a starting point Boerenbusiness the area of ​​seed onions specified in the Combined declaration is taken. This has been found at 27.567 hectares. We used the application for the distribution per province Farmer & Bunder.

Regional differences
All figures cannot easily be framed within provincial boundaries. For example, the Groningen Oldambt is virtually empty and there is still plenty to be done in the Peat Colonies. This also applies to the Hogeland region, on the Wadden coast. In absolute figures, the most needs to be done in Flevoland. Our estimate is 15% of the surface area, which is approximately 1.400 hectares.

The vast majority of this is located in the Noordoostpolder. A large part of this still needs to be cleared. We cannot provide insight into the ratio of yellow and red, because the official figures do not keep track of this. If we assume an area of ​​4.000 hectares of red onions in the Netherlands, this would mean 700 hectares of red onions nationally that have not yet been harvested. Nationally, the percentage of yellow is 18%, good for more than 5.000 hectares.

Limburg has the most to clear
In the south of Limburg, most onions are stuck. Previously it was not possible to harvest there due to drought. Last week only a small amount happened in that region. With 70% unharvested, the percentage is highest in that region. The onions are gone on the sandy soils in North Limburg.

The amount of onions still on the land in the southwest is small. Only in North Brabant would this amount to more than 100 hectares. South Holland and Zeeland have almost everything behind the boards. In North Holland, and even further north in Friesland, serious work still needs to be done.

Not the first time
It is not the first time that there are so many onions in the fields. In 2015, the harvest was significantly delayed in mid-September due to rain. Ultimately, the last onions were only loaded at the end of October, although this was under very nice conditions. In 2010 that was more difficult. Back then, onions were loaded with a converted beet loader, even in frost. An extremely wet autumn made it almost impossible to get the onions.

Past experience shows that onions that lie for a long time are not worthless. "It is important to dry them thoroughly and not to stop ventilating too quickly," says Jaap Jonker of De Groot & Slot. "Do not reduce or stop after 3 weeks if the RH level drops. If the onions are not completely dry, the risk of water skin increases." A properly dried product loses its 'land skin' upon delivery, making the color look better. However, the golden yellow color has disappeared after weeks in the swath.

Additional risk
"Plots that already contain something (in terms of bacteria) are at extra risk during a long field period," adds Kees Jacobs of Syngenta. "Later in the marketing season, the color counts for buyers from Asia and South America. The beautiful golden yellow onion then has an advantage." The onion price is also showing some movement in the short term.

Regrowth may occur during a long field period. A sprout emerges or the roots grow. "If you receive them good and dry, the onion will go back to rest," Jonker knows from experience. "Practical experience has shown that even this product can be stored for 8 months. Dormancy is not immediately broken. Plots with a lot of regrowth are destined for industry. If the MH spraying has been successful, the long field period has no influence on this."

Harvest on time?
The seed suppliers once again emphasize the advantage of timely harvesting. This year too, many growers chose to wait to grab the last kilos. In late September, many plots were still green. Jonker understands that the return on cultivation mainly comes from the kilos, but good quality is just as important. The grower finds himself in a split. Jacobs puts the grower's choice into perspective: "Sometimes sowing is done later for reasons, which also means that your harvest time is later. If the onions are attacked with herbicide spraying, the crop also leaves. Yet you increasingly see the choice of late varieties on soil that is not there. always lends for. A situation like this is lurking."

The question all onion growers have is: when will the weather improve? This week seems lost and hope is now pinned on the following week. However, the weather reports are fickle and they change regularly. Large amounts of precipitation are not expected, but there is not much sun either. The onion growers with product on the land must therefore be patient.