The heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding continue to occupy minds in Flanders. In potatoes, many plots have already been lost and others delayed due to impassable fields. For Dutch carrot and leek growers, the wet weather conditions are also causing major consequences. "It's a disaster," says grower Tom Desmet of Desmet Agro.
Tom's flooded leek plot
"I am a young grower, but I have really never seen it this bad," he continues. The company is located in Meulenbeke, Flanders, where it grows carrots, cabbages, leeks and arable crops such as potatoes and onions. "Since last week, everything has come to a kind of halt. With Dutch carrots, where we would normally continue until mid-December, within 10 days everything will be over. We will pull the plug. The quality was very good until last week. We had relatively little to complain about sales as well, but it is almost impossible now. Mechanical harvesting is no longer possible. Everything is taking much longer and the quality is deteriorating visibly."
The rain also looks set to continue for a while, which doesn't make the situation any more optimistic for growers. "It is not stopping. Earlier this week we got another 30 mm, today it will be dry if all goes well and tomorrow and Friday the rain will continue merrily again. There seems to be no improvement in it and we just don't really know how to harvest it all. It is quietly becoming a disaster. The leek fields are completely flooded. Everything has to be done manually; from harvesting to rinsing. Getting the leeks off the land requires twice as much work and equipment."
The growers says it is a matter of figuring out the days and hoping for a dry moment. "Saturday we were able to cut some and today we can also get going, but the rest of the week the weather is going to be very difficult. Add to that the fact that the product in the processing shed has to be sprayed out very well because of all the soil sticking to it and you have the reason why things are not progressing. Besides, it's already two extra men to harvest and spray. Most of the product doesn't necessarily seem to be lost, but it's just really cumbersome and the quality doesn't improve either."
Mathias' leek fields have also had a hard time
Fellow grower Mathias De Vestele of Devo-Fleur sees a similar situation. Together with his brother, he grows mainly lettuce and leeks in Jabbeke, Flanders. They also grow carrots for industry. "There has really been a lot of rain, as everyone has seen. Because we are equipped with large tractors that have tyres with a low-pressure system and a harvester with a lot of traction, harvesting works reasonably well for now, but it generally takes at least three times as long as normal. We see that especially the product we have to harvest in the coming months is deteriorating sharply in quality. It's really becoming a problem child."
It also, Tom explains, has its implications for the market. "Everyone thought there were going to be too many leeks this season, but if things continue like this, there will actually be shortages. Normally around this time until St Nicholas (5 Dec), we are in the worst period in terms of prices. Now you pay 80 euro cents to 1 euro for leeks. Besides, leeks are turning pale. Quite a few kilos will be lost. We are really hoping for a turnaround in the weather soon. After all, we also have to plant before winter, but I am curious to see if that will be this year."
For more information:
Tom Desmet
Desmet Agro
Knorrebosstraat 10
8760, Meulebeke, Belgium
Tel.: +32 470 68 87 74
tom@desmet-agro.be
Voor meer informatie:
Mathias De Vestele
Devo-Fleur
De Manlaan 39
8490 Jabbeke, Belgium
+32 497 34 92 37
devestelemathias@icloud.com