Trial harvesting yields between 49 and 68 tons

From the trial harvests on the potato plots of the Boerenbusiness Crop tour shows that the yield in the country ranges from 49 to 68 tons. The average is therefore slightly below last year's level. It is also striking that the spread is smaller than in 2019. The underwater weight is clearly higher than last year.

In week 36, the last test harvests were carried out on the potato plots of the Gewastour. The highest yield was achieved on the plot in Someren (North Brabant): 68,8 tons per hectare. Compared to the trial harvesting in weekend 31 the potatoes are still well grown. In the past 5 weeks, the yield increased by approximately 24 tons. On the plot in Hank (North Brabant), the regrowth rate is even higher. Between week 31 and week 36, approximately 35 tons were added, bringing the net yield to 63,5 tons. Incidentally, the yield on this plot is below the level of last year, then in week 36 a net yield of 72,4 tons was harvested.

The lowest net yield was harvested on the plot in Middenmeer (North Holland). In week 36, a yield indication of 49,9 tons emerged on this plot. In the past 5 weeks, about 19 tons have been added to this plot. Last year the yield was not much higher, when in week 36 a net yield of 53,2 tons was harvested. The net yield in Dronten (Flevoland) is also somewhat comparable to last season: 62,9 tons in the 2020 season versus 57 tons in 2019.

Yield slightly less than last year
The average potato yield for this season is 58,6 tons, slightly less than last year. At that time, the average yield over the plots was 60,2 tons per hectare. Incidentally, the spread this season is smaller than last season. This year, the difference between the lowest yield and the highest yield is 18,9 tons, compared to 2019 tons in 39,5. This is partly due to the fact that there has been more precipitation this season. Due to the drought last summer, the plots in Scharendijke (43,9 tons) and Goor (34,7 tons) achieved a low yield last year compared to the other plots of the Gewastour.

It is also striking that the regrowth between week 31 and week 36 is almost the same as last season. The potato plot in Hank gained about 35 tons this year and about 30 tons last year. The Innovators have also gained a comparable amount on the plot in Fijnaart over the past 5 weeks: about 22 tons in this season versus about 20 tons in the 2019 season.

Underwater weight higher than last year
The average underwater weight is higher this season than last season. This year the underwater weight is 380 grams, while last year it was 366 grams. The plot in Scharendijke has the highest underwater weight, namely 419 grams. This is not surprising, since it is not possible to irrigate on this plot in Zeeland. Dronten also has a high underwater weight this year: 392 grams. According to the grower, this may be because a strip of the potatoes has been on sugar beet land. Last year the underwater weight in Dronten was 357 grams.

The underwater weight in Ens is also higher than last season. This season the underwater weight is 388 grams, compared to 376 grams last year. According to the grower, this is not only due to the drought, but also due to the fact that he less fertilized than last season. Incidentally, this figure has not increased much in recent weeks. In week 31, the underwater weight on this plot was 387 grams.

Kimberly Baker

Kimberly Bakker is an all-round editor at Boerenbusiness. She also has an eye for the social media channels of Boerenbusiness.

k.baker @boerenbusiness. Nl

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