Netherlands: Many potatoes have already been planted, but there are large differences in rainfall.

Farmers in Gewastour, in the north of the country, are already seeing the first signs of growth thanks to favorable rainfall, while farmers in the south are occasionally faced with drought.

In Midwolda (Groningen), Alex van Erp reports that the potatoes he planted on April 10 are already beginning to sprout very well. The downpour there came at just the right time. Gybert Doggen from Wouw (North Brabant) looks north with a certain envy: "I would have liked that rain too." In the southwest of the Netherlands, this often presents a challenge: "Either too dry or too wet." On Monday, he began planting the Gewastour plot. In Zeeland, Brian Salomé from IJzendijke (Zeeland) had only 7 millimeters of rain from March 1 until last Monday, when a downpour with hail finally hit. "But it was very localized," he says, "in some places only 3 to 7 millimeters fell." Thanks to the 15 millimeters he received, conditions are now ideal for milling. He is busy: first applying calcium, then fertilizing the rows with nitrogen and boron. In Limburg, Ruud Steinbusch from Voerendaal (Limburg) planted the Gewastour plot last week. 38.5 millimeters of rain have fallen there since last Wednesday.

In Dronten (Flevoland), Philip Kroes is irrigating potatoes to improve conditions. He’s still providing some moisture because the lower back is still quite dry. In Elst (Gelderland), Daan Tap hopes to start milling on Friday. Last week, he had to deal with a heavy downpour of 42 millimeters.

The differences in rainfall and growing conditions are vast across the country. From wet plots to dry plots, it remains a challenge.