The heavy rainfall in recent months threatens the sugar beet harvest. And a new setback is in the air, as freezing temperatures are predicted.
“It is an extreme year for arable farmers,” says Erik Emmens. According to the farmer from Zeijen, the situation was already problematic. Finally, quite a few centimeters of rainwater were added in 2023.
Emmens knows from his colleagues that a lot of sugar beets are still in the ground. And he knows it himself, because he also has to harvest them on his plot. The fact that the weather tables predict frost from the end of this week does not give Emmens much hope.
“Beets can withstand a few degrees of frost,” the farmer knows. With moderate or severe frost it becomes more difficult. “You have to process them immediately, because they start to rot when they thaw.”
In a ‘normal’ beet year, the sugar factories in Hoogkerk and Dinteloord easily process tens of thousands of sugar beets. They are converted into sugar for consumption, but can also be the basis of green energy or plant-based foods.
Nevertheless, Emmens emphasizes: “The greatest damage is suffered individually. In other words, the farmer, who does not earn money but does incur costs.”
The so-called beet campaign to get sugar beets above the ground has been extended until the end of January. Emmens: “The rainfall is enormous and makes for an exceptional year. It is hoped that harvesting can still take place in the coming weeks.”
In line with the difficult beet harvest, the potato yield is surrounded by uncertainty. Royal Avebe estimates that between 3 and 5 percent of the potatoes planted in the Netherlands are still in the ground. “Our members have been experiencing major challenges with harvesting due to the weather conditions throughout the autumn.”