It is the second load of the day, which he collects from farmer Harm Buist from Musselkanaal. “It looks a bit less good than last year,” he says. “But I don’t know why. But I’m not dissatisfied, given the weather we’ve had. It’s nice and dry here, but some colleagues are very wet.”
According to Avebe, there are not only regional differences, but even local differences when it comes to the weather. “We can’t say much about the quality of the potato harvest yet,” says spokesperson Joyce de Vries. “It’s been an erratic season, characterized by many extremes. We’ve had a lot of wetness, but also a lot of drought. And ideal growing conditions for some growers. That’s always exciting.”
In October and November more should become clear about the quality of the potatoes that come in. Back at the factory, Mulder can dump the load after two samples have been taken. “Well, there they go,” he says, keeping a close eye on things in his mirrors. “That was another load.”
And so it will continue for the next few months. In October and November, during the busiest months, there are about a hundred shipments per day. The potatoes are processed, whereby the starch and protein that is extracted is used for food and industry. The campaign will last until about mid-March.