According to agricultural census 2017
Potato acreage increases considerably, wheat decimated
The acreage of potatoes will increase again in 2017 and has not been this large since 2000. Onion cultivation has also found room to expand. The largest grower is sugar beet. As a result, considerably less grain has been sown. This is apparent from the provisional figures of the agricultural census 2017 published by Statistics Netherlands.
The Statistics Netherlands estimates provisional acreage of potatoes on 162.770 acres. A growth of 4.870 hectares or 3%. This growth is mainly attributable to the increasing acreage for consumption potatoes. Good for 3.000 hectares. This means that the acreage has reached the largest surface area since 2000. Arable farmers have planted almost 1.000 hectares more seed potatoes. The acreage of starch potatoes will increase the least, at 850 hectares.
Seed onions plus. Onion sets shrinkage
The plus for onions is 1.500 hectares or 4,5%. The total acreage grows to 34.930 hectares, which is a record. More seed onions in particular were sown this spring. About 1.600 hectares more, while the acreage for onion sets has shrunk by 160 hectares. The disastrous carrot market has had little effect on the acreage. Just under 100 hectares less winter carrots have been sown.
Wheat the big loser
The largest growth figures are for the sugar beet crop. Not a surprise, given Cosun's growth ambition. Statistics Netherlands estimates the total surface area at 85.450. That is a significant increase of almost 15.000 hectares, compared to 2016. A growth of more than 20%. Cereals are therefore the big loser in Dutch arable areas. The 164.000 hectares of grain is an absolute low in arable farming, a minus of 17.030 hectares. Wheat loses no less than 11.570 hectares. In light of these figures, barley, at 4.620 hectares, is losing much less.
210
businesses
Small contraction in arable farming
According to Statistics Netherlands, the Netherlands has a small 2017 hectares of arable land for the 510.000 harvest year, spread over 17.980 companies. That means a contraction of 210 companies and 5.800 hectares. That is a relatively modest decrease compared to previous years. The total number of farms decreased by 870 units.
Niels van der Boom
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