Arable farmers and open field vegetable growers sometimes had to irrigate for 2 months this year to keep the crops alive. Customer and vegetable processor Ardo in Zundert therefore offers growers a sprinkler premium. The amount of this premium depends on the yield.
It is a sore point this season for potato growers who grow chip potatoes under contract. In addition to the low yield and fine sorting, high costs are sometimes incurred to keep the crop alive. There is no compensation for this and that is annoying.
Extreme season
Ardo in Zundert, part of the Ardo Group (a producer of frozen vegetables, fruit and herbs), is helping growers after this extreme season. "The cultivation contract and the contract price take into account 1 or 2 irrigations per season," explains cultivation supervisor Arthur van Veen. "This year 5 or 6 people are also participating. After consultation between the growers' committee and Ardo BV in Zundert, an irrigation premium will be paid. It is the first time in history that this has happened."
The price increase is related to the kilos delivered. In this way, Ardo hopes to encourage growers to aim for the maximum yield and thus also achieve the maximum premium. Depending on the cultivation, 10% to 20% of the basic contract price is paid.
Van Veen takes kale as a calculation example: "A non-irrigated crop may only yield 20 tons per hectare this year. With irrigation that is double. The premium is then certainly worthwhile for all the additional costs incurred." The extra payout applies to 3 leafy crops: spinach, kale and Swiss chard.
Additional sowing
Despite irrigation, yields are significantly lower this year. The contracted volume of vegetable crops has remained stable this season, resulting in a shortage. Ardo is therefore trying to convince growers to sow a crop after all. "It is now too late for many crops. Only spinach can still be sown," Van Veen explains.
"We will cover the seed costs for the last sowing weeks and hope to arouse additional interest. The irrigation allowance will then no longer apply, because there have been some recent showers. Moreover, there is no longer any extreme weather with 30 degrees. ", says Van Veen.
The factory in Zundert contracts approximately 1.000 hectares of spinach annually in West and Central Brabant. Ardo has a total of 20 branches spread across Europe. In addition to leafy crops, green beans, carrot crops and peas are also grown in the Netherlands. These products are processed in Belgium at sister companies.