"The dry weather made clear what varieties could tolerate it. Seven of the new varieties "performed well, and it was striking to see that it was mainly the Norika varieties that stood out. That is how we got into contact with Norika, a German breeder, to launch these varieties in Belgium as well. The first ones were planted in Belgium in 2007 and 2008. It takes a few years to find out which are the most profitable and comply with quality standards. This happened in close collaboration with Bart from the Aardappelhoeve."
Received with enthusiasm
"He is a grower that can judge quickly and accurately because of his experience. He holds a wealth of information for us. Now, seven years on, we've picked three out of the original seven to progress with. Those are Gala, Alegria and Agila. Satisfaction prevails with these varieties at the moment. They are doing well, and they bring cost control and operational reliability," Stefaan continues. "We are received with enthusiasm in other countries as well. Alegria and Gala were already growing in Spain (through Norika), but it is more structured now. We know there is a demand, customers are waiting on it. There was close to no name recognition about three to four years ago. Now we are right at that stage."
First harvest in Spain
Bart, a grower and trader who is always on the lookout for the ideal variety, shows his appreciation for the collaboration and the quality of the seedlings. He planted the Agila and Alegria varieties in the Spanish region of Seville this year. "I'm in contact with various organic growers over there. The harvest turned out significantly smaller due to heavy rain, but the majority of Agila turned out really well. Yields are lower everywhere this season, and the whole of the EU screams for potatoes. Fortunately, we have sufficient volumes to cope with our programs." De Aardappelhoeve generates around 20% of its turnover from organic potatoes. "The organic varieties we have set out in Spain are Agila and Nicola. The risks are higher with organic potatoes. There is more chance of the Phytopthora disease. Our organic seedlings are also provided by Binst, and they make sure that these risks are minimalised. "The most important aspects of a good variety are: as little tare as possible, more yields, golden yellow peel, very washable, storeable and a good taste," Bart thinks.
Left: Bart Nemegheer of De Aardappelhoeve and on the right Stefaan Delmeire of Binst
Bart indicates that decisions concerning new varieties are made in conjunction with his customers, the supermarkets. "All products are extensively tested and tasted before they hit the shelves.We start off small with a few hectares, and when there's an increase in demand we expand." The potato shelf in retail has changed considerably in the last years, according to him. "Traditionally, you couldn't get anything else but a 5 kg bag of potatoes, but nowadays the choice in packaging, varieties, and weight is enormous. The consumer is also becoming more knowledgeable on variety, taste and preparation. They are slightly ahead on that in the Netherlands."
Search
Will the search for the best varieties go on? Bart: "Obviously there's contentment with certain varieties, but will will always remain on the lookout. That will never cease. There are always aspects of a variety you can improve on. We will continue to look for added value." Stefaan adds: "You also need to be careful in your enthusiasm for new varieties. We have had varieties that seemed perfect, but in the end disappointed after a few years. You can't just focus on or draw conclusions from experiments. Certain issues are not always noticeable in test fields," Stefaan explains. "We plant 40 to 50 varieties in test fields every year, and it depends on a lot of aspects whether or not a variety is ideal."
For more information:
Stefaan Delmeire
Binst Breeding & Selection nv
Cokeriestraat 20
BE-1850 Grimbergen
Tel.: + 32 (0)2 251 90 25
Fax: + 32 (0)2 252 04 62
[email protected]
www.binst.be
Bart Nemegheer
De Aardappelhoeve
Putterijstraat 7A
8700 Tielt
T. +32 (0)51 40 25 00
F. +32 (0)51 40 95 01
GSM +32 (0)477 29 17 84
[email protected]
www.deaardappelhoeve.com
