'We want to get the most out of starch potatoes'

"We may be a part-time arable farmer, but that doesn't mean that we just add to our company. No, we want to get the most out of the crops and also invest heavily in the company." That is what Hans Supèr says, who runs an arable farm with a contracting branch in Sibculo (Overijssel) together with his wife Gea and sons Thomas and Steven. Although the VOF has mainly invested in onion cultivation in recent years, starch potatoes remain an important leg of the company.

"Let me be clear: at the moment the starch potatoes are no longer the one big cork on which everything floats. In recent years, the emphasis has shifted more and more to onions, because they are doing very well here. The investments We therefore mainly go to this crop, such as a second onion harvester, with which we also carry out the necessary contract work.''

At the start of the conversation, Hans Supèr immediately mentions the 'changed status' of starch potatoes within the cropping plan. According to him, cultivation is under considerable pressure and there is considerable price competition from the flake and chip potato industry. And onion cultivation has also become an attractive alternative for many growers. "Avebe will therefore have to do its best to keep growers on board. The price really has to rise substantially in the coming years," he says.

From 1-to-2 to 1-to-3 starch potatoes
Although the arable farmer certainly does not want to get rid of the starch potatoes, the rotation will be reduced from 1-to-2 to 1-to-3 this season, although the acreage of 18 hectares remains more or less the same due to a recent land purchase. The wider crop rotation is mainly intended to give the soil more rest and to keep the nematodes well under control. That last point is an important reason for Supèr to remain loyal to starch cultivation. "With highly resistant starch varieties, we manage to keep nematodes under control. With flake and chips varieties, I'm afraid we'll be back to square one. I'm just not willing to do that."

In recent years, the company has been experimenting with different varieties. Last season they were Altus, Axion, Avamond and BMC. This year, the veteran Festien may be added again because of its good and, above all, certain yields. "Festien has never let us down in recent years. And that's a nice thought - especially since we spend a lot of time outdoors and are getting busier with the onions. We just have to see if this variety is still good as far as the nematodes are concerned. suits." 'We' refers to Wout Ballast of Agrifirm - who is also present at the meeting. He is an important source of support for the company, especially during the growing season, says Supèr. "I myself work outside the home for three days at a metal company. And my two sons Thomas and Steven are away from home for almost the entire working week. We therefore don't see our crops every day – and that is certainly during 'hazardous' weather or periods with a high disease pressure It's a risk. It's nice that Wout then walks through the crops with us, signals any problems and discusses them with us."

Certainty and flexibility in spraying schedule
With regard to crop protection, the company Supèr prefers to opt for a combination of security and flexibility. "Because we work a lot outside the home, we cannot use every hour of the day to spray. Operational reliability, but also some flexibility in the spraying schedule are therefore important to us. After all, we want to get the most out of our crops; that is only possible if you which keeps it healthy and vital until the very end," says the arable farmer. The control of phytophthora, but also that of alternaria, is therefore taken very seriously. Ballast says that alternaria control has been more or less standard in the spraying schedule in recent years and that the disease therefore no longer causes major problems as often. "Fortunately, we have seen few early infections in recent years, which has prevented major damage. But at the end of the season, we regularly see that alternaria creeps in. That is a pity, because the growth potential at the end of the season is It's this regrowth that has proven to be very important in recent years for a good yield," he says.

Resistance management important
This season, Agrifirm is mainly focusing on altering the products Propulse, Belanty® and Narita® – in combination with Phytophthora control. "With these three products you have a good variety of active substances, so that resistance management is best guaranteed," says the adviser. Because Propulse and Belanty also have a side effect against sclerotinia, Ballast likes to place them a bit more at the beginning (from two thirds of flowering). "Moreover, these two products are the strongest against alternaria; you should use them mainly to keep the disease out of the crop." Later in the season - from the sixth to eighth spraying - according to the consultant, Infinito + Kunshi® and/or Enervin SC® + Vendetta® may also be chosen, with Infinito and Enervin forming the basis for Phytophthora control and Kunshi and Vendetta a supplement against phytophthora and also have an effect against alternaria. "With these intermediate sprays you can save strong products such as Propulse for later in the season. That can be an important weapon to keep Alternaria under control, especially if the crop has to stay green for a long time." At the end of the season, spraying can then be combined with Ranman® plus Propulse, Belanty or Narita.

Ballast emphasizes once again that alternating products is essential to prevent (possible) resistance. "At the moment we have several good remedies against alternaria available. Let's be careful with them and ensure that they remain effective as long as possible," he concludes.

^{Belanty® and Enervin® SC are registered trademarks of BASF
Kunshi® and Ranman® are registered trademarks of ISK Biosciences
Narita® is a registered trademark of Globachem
Vendetta® is a registered trademark of FMC}

This business case is powered by: