Irrigation: from hobby to bitter seriousness

You have ordinary farmers and irrigation farmers, it is sometimes joked among arable farmers. This year everyone is a sprinkler farmer, provided of course you have the options. Dragging hoses and tubes week after week raises questions. Can and should it be done differently?

The irrigation reels often sat in a corner of the shed for years, gathering dust. They only came into action in really dry and warm weather; often reluctantly. However, a professionalism has also been made with these machines. This is clearly reflected in high-yielding crops such as flower bulbs and vegetables. Many arable farmers now have 1 or more reels in their shed.

Irrigate more often
Electronic gadgets, or even a hose reel, make this tedious job a lot easier. After all, you are often in the mud and working at impossible times. All comforts are welcome. Partly because of this, substantial investments have been made. The logical next step is to irrigate more often. After all, the machines are there anyway, is the opinion. This summer you can even see that the green manure is being irrigated.

Of course, this pleasure, or burden, is not for everyone. The availability of sufficient fresh water is a major problem; certainly in Zeeland, an arable area par excellence. This is also the case along the Wadden coast, or in places where brown rot and ring rot infections play a role. Fresh water is brought in with skill and effort, in order to be able to do something. To make matters worse, governments sometimes also decide to encourage salinization by setting up sluices. Think of the Haringvlietdam.

Turning point
The extreme year 2018 is increasingly seen as a turning point for arable farming. With the current climate vagaries of this century, is it realistic to grow 40 tons of potatoes on contract, year on year? A turning point may also be reached in terms of water supply and irrigation. For example, I often hear growers talk about pivots. Does this technique deserve attention again?

Three of these machines are running in the Veenkoloniën; both center and lateral pivots. Turned I must say, because 3 has already disappeared. Between 1 and 2007, the PPO experimental farm 't Kompas in Valthermond conducted trials with irrigation and fertilization in starch potatoes. During the trial years, watering was alternately between none and 2011 times and additional fertilization was performed. The surplus yield was 4% to 2% higher, so it was not seen as profitable. The pivot quickly disappeared from view.

Arming yourself against extremes
However, since 2011, the reels have been spinning a lot; just like the slot cutters. As an agricultural entrepreneur you are now obliged to be ready for extremes. This often happens in the same year as well. Good equipment makes the job a little easier. In cases of drought, sensors can help determine the right moment to water.

In addition to investing in irrigation techniques such as pivots on straight polder plots, it is good to look at the availability of fresh water. The German state Bavaria is making €9 million available for the construction of a lake and pipeline network for irrigation water. Should something like this also happen for certain Dutch arable areas? In the United Kingdom, for example, it is normal for potato and onion growers to build basins so that a water supply can be built up in the wet winter months. Is this also reality for our country?

Niels van der Boom

Niels van der Boom is a senior market specialist for arable crops at DCA Market Intelligence. He mainly makes analyses and market updates about the potato market. In columns he shares his sharp view on the arable sector and technology.

© DCA Market Intelligence. This market information is subject to copyright. It is not permitted to reproduce, distribute, disseminate or make the content available to third parties for compensation, in any form, without the express written permission of DCA Market Intelligence.