Onion sowing in the Benelux is progressing rapidly: 70 percent already sown.

Onion sowing in the Netherlands and Belgium got off to a somewhat slow start this season, but sowing machines are now running at full speed from north to south. Sowing conditions are generally favorable. It is expected that the majority of the onion acreage will be sown this coming weekend. The first onions have already reached the flag leaf stage.

For a brief moment, it seemed as though many onions could already be sown in March. Glorious spring weather ensured that onion sets and the first sown onions went into the ground. This was followed by a changeable period, forcing growers to temporarily slow down.

Since the Easter weekend, however, spring seems to be really setting in. Conditions for tillage and sowing improved rapidly. The Great and Slot It is estimated that approximately 60% to 70% of the onion acreage in the Benelux will have been sown by early this week. This percentage is expected to rise to around 90% towards the weekend, provided it remains dry.

Regional differences remain significant
As with every year, the differences by region are significant. In the southwest, approximately 70% of the acreage has now been sown. Here, growers were able to start earlier due to drier conditions, meaning a portion went into the ground as early as March.

In Flevoland, too, the sowing rate is around 70%, estimates Tom Langenberg, account manager at De Groot en Slot in the Noordoostpolder. "Onion sowing is progressing well. I expect the Noordoostpolder is slightly further along than the Flevopolder, but towards the weekend, most growers here will be finished."

In the eastern sandy region, the differences are greater. In some regions, the soil was already workable in early April, while other areas are only getting going this week. Here, too, an estimated 70% has been sown. In the north, the contrasts are equally clearly visible. On lighter soils, most onions have now been sown, while clay soils are locally still too wet. Additionally, the north has recently experienced more rainfall, which is delaying operations. In Groningen, over 60% has been sown, while Friesland is at around a third. This percentage is expected to increase rapidly this week.

In Belgium, the sowing rate is around 60%. There, too, assuming the dry weather persists, the majority of the acreage can be sown this week. Growers who are still waiting are, in some cases, doing so deliberately awaiting precipitation because it would otherwise be too dry.

First onions up, but also challenges
In the southwest, some fields were already sown in late February or early March. These onions have now emerged or are starting to break through. The first onions are also visible on higher-lying sandy soils and in East Groningen. Thanks to a few rain showers, these early-sown onions have generally taken root well.

At the same time, there are also challenges. In the southwest, some growers have had to deal with crust formation after rainfall. Some have solved this with a weed harrow or crust breaker.

On clay and sandy loam soils, the top layer is currently drying out rapidly, making irrigation necessary to keep the germination process going. This also applies to recently sown plots. The rainfall expected before the weekend has largely failed to materialize, and the outlook remains dry for the time being.

In the south and central Netherlands, several growers have therefore already started irrigating for better emergence. This contrasts with the north, where rainfall has actually fallen recently.

If the dry conditions persist, irrigation will play an increasingly important role in achieving an even emergence of the onions this season.