The date of October 1 is approaching. Before that date, growers who have not opted for undersowing or sowing a catch crop must have sown a catch crop. The big question, however, is whether the maize will be chopped before that time. There is a threat of discount on premiums, or is there still a way out?
Nearly 35% of all maize growers affiliated with the 'Thorough Farming with Maize' network must sow a catch crop before October 1. Approximately 25% opted for even sowing and more than 40% for undersowing. Of the group that opted for undersowing, 70% are concerned about its emergence. This is due to the drought, especially in the eastern Netherlands. "After the harvest, it should become clear what has become of it and what the degree of recovery is," says the Wageningen university research department Open Cultivation, which announced the figures during the demo days at the De Marke and Vredepeel experimental farms.
Huge peak loads for payroll companies
Now that October 1 is approaching (and the silage maize is in the ripening phase), it is also becoming clear what impact the deadline for sowing catch crops (after maize cultivation on sand and loess soil) has. Cumela already warned this winter that the new rules, which are intended to prevent nitrate leaching in the autumn, create a lot of uncertainty.
This lack of clarity mainly falls on the payroll companies. To be sure of their business, the livestock farmers booked their contractors for the silage maize harvest last winter. The contracting companies have to deal with enormous peak loads. This became apparent in June, when undersowing had to be carried out in just 2 weeks and this will also be the case in the coming weeks. Since then not only does it have to be chopped, but it also has to be sown.
It now looks like the lion's share of the silage maize will not be chopped until the second half of September. Early varieties on the sandy soils in the south and east are approaching the optimal dry matter percentage of 35% to 36%, but the maize did not ripen half as quickly as last week, when the heat wave at the end of August even produced 5% extra dry matter in 1 week. time was measured. Normal is 2% to 3% per week. 3% will probably not be achieved this week and next week. The fact is that the corn harvest has not yet started.
Control by satellite
There is a good chance that half of the corn growers will not meet the catch crop obligation as of October 1. If around 35% of the growers participating in 'Thorough Farming with Corn' have gambled on resowing, this percentage will actually turn out to be even larger on the total area. Moreover, there is a good chance that a significant part of the area will not be sufficiently green as of October 1.
There are growers who saw the undersowing fail and now assume that they have fulfilled their obligation by having the undersown. However, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO.nl) has so far not provided clarity as to whether an invoice from the contractor from June is sufficient. It is a fact that the organization carries out random checks via satellite on the greening rules in the context of the hectare allowances.
Anyone who does not meet the catch crop obligation as of October 1 can avoid a reduction in hectare allowances by sowing winter grain as the main crop before November 1. This does mean that the grain may not be harvested as GPS next year, but must ripen. No one knows how hot the soup is eaten. The cold will disappear with a 2-week delay, but this will increase the peak of nitrate leaching into the groundwater. The peak in the autumn was also the reason in August that the cracking ban on sand and loess soil was not postponed by 2 weeks due to extreme drought.