'Onions with 4 percent tare from storage are worth something'

De Boerenbusiness This year, Crop Tour will follow 8 plots with yellow seed onions in the Netherlands. Every week we ask an onion grower about the plot, his choices and vision. This week it is Reinder Hogenhout, arable farmer in Kimswerd, Friesland.

The new growing season has arrived, what about the crop tour plot?
"That is in very good shape. Last year there were potatoes on it, after which we dug it straight away. Soon the fertilizer will be applied and we will lower the kopeg, after which we can sow. We harrows in one pass, with a kopeg at the front and on the back. So we only drive once over the land. But that sowing will take a while. Hopefully the structure will remain as good as it is now."

Which variety are you going to grow and why?
"We opted for Centro. We do this purely for the quality in long-term storage. We are now also doing the latter. We still have onions in storage from last season. Some are stored in crates with suction ventilation and the rest are put into storage. the loose storage. In addition to the Centro variety, we also grow Hyroad and red and pink onions. Storage works well, which is why we opted for high-quality storage varieties. We do not achieve the highest kilos with the Centro variety, but in terms of skin, firmness and storage If you deliver onions in June with a tare percentage of 4%, yes that is worth something."

Which vision and strategies are you applying to onion cultivation this year?
"What we do is special, that we put all nitrogen on it at the beginning, before the harrowing. We do this with a coated fertilizer, so the nitrogen is absorbed more controlled by the crop. We do spray other foliar fertilizers in the barrel. of the season, but not otherwise. As far as weed control is concerned, it just has to be clean. Of course you don't want to walk through it with the hoe. If you keep a close eye on the plot and know it, you can come a long way with soil herbicide. For example, we have not sprayed contact herbicides in the onions for years."

"In addition, we have had few problems with diseases and pests in recent years, such as thrips. I don't know exactly why. But here south of Harlingen you see few onion fields and crops that also attract thrips. Fortunately, we also have the possibility to irrigate, of course that also helps."

Not many onions are grown in the area, why do you opt for onion cultivation?
"We made that choice because you can carry out cultivation with the same mechanization as that of potatoes. It fits in our timeline, because onion harvesting is good for the potato harvest. We are also active in providing crop protection and advice. the free trade also suits you, which makes it interesting. That way you also have risk spread. We are almost always free with our onions."

You are participating in the crop tour for the third year. Why are you participating and what are you looking forward to?
"I think the onion cultivation is wonderful. I enjoy the growth throughout the season. It is therefore great to see how the onion is doing at another company. And another grower also likes to look at us. If you want to know, you have to share it. And in such a group it is very instructive and you get to know other people. You hear about everything, for example about sales and the variety choice of growers. Every year is different and I am curious how it is will be this year."

Jesse Torringa

Jesse is an editor at Boerenbusiness and focuses in particular on the arable farming sector, including grain and onions. He also closely follows the fertilizer market. In addition, Jesse works on an arable farm in Groningen with seed potatoes as the main branch.

j.torringa@boerenbusiness. Nl

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