News Agricultural census CBS
More potatoes and onions again
As in 2017, more potatoes and onions will be grown in the Netherlands this year. This is apparent from the provisional acreage figures, which Statistics Netherlands bases on the Combined Statement. The expansion of the acreage is at the expense of wheat and other low-yielding crops.
The total potato acreage will come this year, according to a first estimate, out on 166.420 acres. Of this, 77.150 hectares are ware potatoes, a plus of 850 hectares (+1,1%) and therefore almost equal to the 1,5% that Boerenbusiness earlier predicted.
A lot more seed potatoes
The seed potato area is 43.790 hectares. That is a considerable growth of 1.460 hectares, or 3,4%. That is more than the 1,5% that inspection service NAK at the beginning of this month published† The starch potato cultivation is expanding by 1.440 hectares this year.
The average acreage per company has grown slightly. Statistics Netherlands counts a decrease of 30 companies that grow potatoes; consumption growers in particular have dropped out. That is 130 less this year. The count also includes 70 new seed potato growers and 10 extra companies with starch potatoes.
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The acreage of all potato crops will increase this year.
Record number of onion sets
The total area of onions shows a plus of 280 hectares (+0,8%) and amounts to 35.200 hectares. The acreage for seed onions changes with a minus of 3,86%. Good for more than 1.000 hectares. Arable farmers are mainly growing more onion sets this year. The surface increases to 9.140 hectares, a plus of 17% or 1.340 hectares. Both the area of sowing and onion sets reached a new record.
The stock of onion growers is decreasing slightly, with 60 companies up to 3.950 growers. It is mainly the growers of seed onions that have stopped. In total, a hefty 170 companies. Ten companies were added to onion sets.
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The area of seed and onion sets is increasing significantly this year.
More summer grain
In 2017, the grain area was decimated to make room for potatoes and onions. This year the acreage is slightly reduced (+3%) and comes to almost 169.000 hectares. Still well below the 200.000 hectare limit; since 2014 it has not risen above that.
The numbers show that the fall was wet. The areas of winter wheat and barley are decreasing and the summer varieties are increasing. A plus of 7.430 hectares applies for wheat and a plus of 7.200 hectares for barley. The sugar beet acreage does not change appreciably. Statistics Netherlands estimates the surface area at 85.320 hectares. It thus maintains its growth from last season.
Grass makes way
Where does the room for growth come from? At the bottom of the line it is wheat that has to give in. However, these are minor adjustments. The total wheat area has decreased by 3.500 hectares. With a growth of 6.240 hectares, barley partly takes over that position, but it undoubtedly offers space for potatoes and onions.
The areas of trade crops and legumes do not change appreciably. The acreage of soybeans has grown slightly (to 540 hectares). The protein crop of field beans is considerably larger at 720 hectares. In total, the acreage of cultivated land decreased by almost 11.000 hectares. However, the area of arable land is increasing (by the same amount). Grass and green fodder crops have thus made way for arable crops.
Niels van der Boom
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