Aphid and drought plague carrot cultivation in Belgium

The growers who sowed their carrots before mid-April report good growth. However, this year they are experiencing extremely many problems with aphids and the viruses they transmit. "This means that the carrot has not grown properly, is of lower quality and results in a significantly lower yield," says Dirk Vanparys, sales manager of Bejo Zaden Belgium. This is also a problem for the early sowing of C/D carrots. "The stand density is good, but growers see a lot of virus damage."

The opposite is visible in the main harvest of the B carrot and C/D carrot. Growers who sowed B carrots or C/D carrots from the second half of April to the end of June were faced with dry and poor conditions. As a result, in many cases turnout is poor, slow and irregular. "In some cases it has even been necessary to over-sow plots. This was not only done with carrots, but sometimes also with maize or beans." However, the majority of the plots with a lower turnout remained standing. This was because growers did not want to incur additional costs or because there was a water capture ban.

Cruiser ban is a loss
"In general, we can say that the crop developed slowly due to the dry, poor wind. And an additional problem is that weed control is difficult, because soil resources need moisture for proper functioning." According to Vanparys, potato storage and black nightshade were a major problem in this area. "Belgian growers have tried to provide relief with all kinds of weed control cocktails, but this has also resulted in major inhibitions."

Although most will remember the year 2020 as the year of the coronavirus, especially for early carrot growers, it is also the year of viruses, such as red leaf disease virus, carrot mottle virus and parsnip yellow spot virus. The ban on seed coating with Cruiser is therefore a serious loss for Belgian growers, especially in the fight against aphids. "Especially when we are dealing with a dry spring, as is the case this year, you see that viruses transmitted by aphids hit mercilessly."

In addition, Cruiser was very effective against the first generation of carrot fly. Now that this protection has disappeared, we must respond with crop sprays. "Fortunately, the pressure from the carrot fly was manageable this year and there was no real loss due to other insects."

Irrigation is a problem
The heat that is predicted for the next few days, causes headaches for most Belgian growers. This is because only a small proportion of growers (about 15%) have the option to irrigate. "For these growers, the damage will probably not be too bad, because an irrigated and sufficiently moist crop can still evaporate and thus cause cooling," Vanparys explains. However, most growers in Belgium do not have this luxury. They do not have their own water and it is difficult to get a permit. "In Belgium, the heat and drought are certainly a bigger problem than in the Netherlands or Germany."

In plots where it is already very dry and the sun causes high temperatures, the crop is expected to succumb to temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius. "The foliage becomes weak and the crop becomes more sensitive to mildew. If it rains later, the carrot must first grow hair roots again, then create new foliage and only then can the carrot start growing again. Most growers in Belgium keep their take heart."

Effect on prices
Both the coronavirus and the lower yield are driving up prices. In the fresh carrot market it is clearly visible that yields are moderate, but demand is good. Many families stay at home during the holidays and cook more themselves. "It is therefore not surprising that the price of early carrots is currently quite high: €0,30 per kilo," says Vanparys. In Belgium, the main harvest of B carrot is usually fixed by contract. These prices are around €0,09 per kilo for the fresh market. 

In the frozen industry, both disc carrots (€0,062 per kilo) and C/D carrots (€0,055 per kilo for the Flakkee type) are grown exclusively under contract. "Yet we hear that sales and exports of frozen products are moderate, while at the beginning of the corona crisis there was still a boom in sales to retail." But it is mainly sales to the food service (such as catering and large kitchens) that are having a hard time. "Because many events have been canceled, this important sales market for frozen carrots is taking a major hit. It is therefore expected that more product will remain in stock and less frozen product will be needed."

Whether the lower yield of carrots in Belgium can be kept in balance due to the weather conditions and the lower demand for frozen product is still a big question. "Although this will not be seen as a windfall for any party in the chain."