Even after the onion harvest, alertness is still required

One thing is certain: the onions did not get any better after the rain. They look gray and are dark brown in color. Yet sometimes it isn't too bad. Once in the cell or coffin, the product already looks very different. After proper drying, there can be a good onion in storage.

Harvest not completed everywhere
The sector estimated In mid-October it was announced that 5.000 hectares of seed onions still had to be cleared and/or recharged in the Netherlands. At least 90% to almost 100% is expected 'behind the boards' this week. There are only concerns about the situation in North Holland. It also rained there regularly last week. This makes the potato harvest more difficult.

"The onions that were already in the swath have an advantage," says Hein Molenkamp of Hazera. "You get root activity in the soil. That is clearly visible. The root plate sometimes becomes soft. It makes a lot of difference whether the onion variety is hard or soft in itself. A soft one is more likely to fall bare. These soft varieties do not give the quality that we are used to. ."

To set priorities
Molenkamp sees that the onion growers are working hard to get everything in. Especially since rain is coming at the end of this week. "The question is whether the onions that are currently being harvested can also be loaded," he continues. "Moreover, it sometimes requires prioritizing. Do I dig my potatoes or load onions?"

Most of the work still needs to be done in the northern coastal areas of Groningen and Friesland. There were also many onions in Drenthe, but on the sandy and valley soils you can get started earlier after rain. Clay soil tends to cake more quickly, so growers often have to be patient here.

In the south of the country, the working area of ​​Hazera colleague André Boot, 300 hectares had to be harvested last week in Zeeuws-Vlaanderen. Everything is expected to be delivered to Zeeland by the end of this week.

Exciting when delivering from country to country
Jaap Jonker, sales manager at De Groot en Slot, finds it difficult to give a percentage for the onions already harvested. "Within an hour it will be outdated again, because things are going so fast now. This week, at least 90% of the country will be there. The remaining 10% is partly tied to off-shore transport or storage options. Not everyone has emergency storage when not in use." can be shipped from land. Consignments that have already been sold are also rejected due to shot or bacteria."

Jonker and his colleagues see sprouting in most plots that are still on the land. "However, this does not necessarily mean that sprout dormancy has been broken," he said earlier. "It concerns green shoots and is different from yellow shoots. We also see root growth. Both on onions that were still standing and those in the swath. layers. This is a national phenomenon. Bacteria and fusarium are also visible. In batches containing primary fusarium, secondary bacteria can now be found. The loader does sieve out snotty onions."

Closed necks
Due to the long field period of 4 to 5 weeks, the necks are considerably constricted. That is certainly not an advantage, say the seed specialists. The neck acts as a chimney to drain water in storage. With a closed neck, water cannot drain properly. If water is trapped in the onion, there is a risk of water skin. Molenkamp: "This danger is especially present with large onions. It is important not to rely solely on the storage computer, but also to check a lot in the cell. If you do not do this, you could be unpleasantly surprised upon delivery."

Jonker recognizes the picture that Molenkamp paints. "We see plots that were completely dead before the rain and that are very difficult to dry. Cutting back on ventilation and drying is the wrong decision. Rotten onions can contaminate a batch. A dead onion is also more likely to fall bare. We hear those complaints coming in now. In 2 months we will only be able to say anything about it when the product is now being harvested."