Dutch Crop tour potato - week 35
Harvest fries potatoes is not going to be easy
Despite sufficient moisture and dark weather, the potato crop is declining rapidly. The kilos that have recently been added also seem to be disappointing. It seems to be difficult to achieve the 5-year average for the French fries potatoes.
That is the view of a number of potato growers of the Gewastour and their colleagues. Despite the weather conditions and a green-colored crop, regrowth seems to be disappointing. The draft also appears in later planted potato plots. We are not only talking about the Innovator variety, but also other potato varieties.
Yield varies widely
It has already become clear from various trial harvestings that yields at plot level vary widely. Plots scored above average, but also far below. As a result, the average drops quickly and, given the crop status, it doesn't get much better. An example is the trial harvesting of the Crop Tour in weekend 32.
At potato grower Daan Janssen in Mill and Sint Hubert, the difference in yield per plot is clearly visible: "The crop tour plot achieves an excellent yield, but that is not the realistic picture. I also have other plots and the yields are in my the region is quite different. Considering what is now under it, it is disappointing. There are plots where it is dramatic," says Daan Janssen. Low number is leading in this.
Achieving an average yield will be a difficult task, according to Janssen. "If I add all yields together and divide by the number of hectares, it becomes quite a challenge to achieve my average yield from recent years. little under."
Regrowth is disappointing
When visiting the field, growth seems to have stagnated considerably compared to previous weeks. Special, given the crop status and other circumstances at the moment. Janssen also notices something when sampling his potatoes: "We have done serious sampling and until now you cannot say that the potatoes will be as long as other years. They lack some length and therefore also kilos."
With these weather conditions and the green foliage, it seems logical that quite a few kilos will be added. However, that does not seem to be the case and the crop is also wearing out very hard. Potato grower Herman Schlepers also confirms this: "I certainly see the Innovator variety slipping quickly, but the potatoes planted later are also on the decline. That way you don't gain those last kilos." He also has questions about how many kilos are growing these days.
It is not easy at Jacco van Liere in Dronten (Flevoland): "I see a clear difference between the early and later potted plots, with the later potted plots not easy for me in terms of kilos. But there is still growth potential. The plants are greener there. than previous years'.
René Mesken, potato grower from Appelscha (Friesland), also has a wide spread in terms of yield. "I have very nice, but also somewhat lesser plots. You also have to include those in order to get realistic figures. With a few bad plot yields, your average yield will drop sharply."
Low tuber setting
Another reason why the yield is low is the disappointing tuber number. Early in the season, such as on the crop tour plot in Hank (North Brabant). Grower Jacob Branderhorst has fewer numbers than in previous years: "My numbers are very low and I certainly don't get a good yield that way. You see that more with the plots that are potted a bit later. An average yield is the maximum that can be achieved if I see it now."
Incidentally, a large tuber setting is not ideal this year either. This is clearly reflected in the Crop Tour plot in Scharendijke (Zeeland). The kilos of many cannot compete with the kilos of the coarse potatoes.
Jesse Torringa
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