Schuiling Family Farm and Agrico: Scaling Up and Automating Potato Operations for Enhanced Efficiency

Just one kilometre from the coast, in the Frisian village of Minnertsga, between the windmills, stands the newly built shed with a renewed sorting line of partnership Schuiling. On the Open Day of 8 March 2024, there was a lot of interest in the arable farm and the new fully automatic optical reading and sorting installation and the new packaging line. Brothers Wietze and Gosse and Wietze's son, Roelof, share their passion for arable farming and their view of the future.

The family business once started in Hallum, as a mixed business by the grandfather of Wietze and Gosse. After which their father continued the business with his three brothers, first in a partnership with each their own business. The business of Wietze, Gosse and recently also Roelof, has not limited itself to one location over the years.

Wietze Schuiling:

"We have several businesses in the northern coastal region, including one in Groningen."

Gosse Schuiling:

"From an area of ​​50 hectares of iceberg lettuce for 20 years (started by our father together with a partner 30 years ago), we went to a traditional construction plan and focused on scaling up."

Good soilq

The Agrico varieties Alouette, Amorosa, Arizona, Arsenal, Constance, Fontane, Lugano, Levante, Rudolph, Sinora and Vogue are grown on the land. In addition to the various seed potatoes, the brothers grow onions, sugar beets and wheat. 

In their area, they are not allowed to irrigate seed potatoes, so they really have to take good care of the soil, the brothers explain. Almost one-third of their crop rotation consists of wheat.

Wietze Schuiling:

"The land is quite far apart in terms of location. Some call this a disadvantage, because you prefer to have everything together. But for us it is also a bit of risk spreading."

As a closed company, they try to increase their own production as much as possible.

Wietze Schuiling:

"We do this at one location of ours, which is really right on the coast."

Potato packing operations at Agrico's facility, managed by the Schuiling family, ensuring top-quality produce for global distribution

Innovation and cooperation

They have a clear division of tasks among themselves.

Gosse Schuiling: 

"I do the crop protection, fertilization, onion cultivation, storage and trade of the products. In addition, other matters that are necessary for good business management, such as certifications. The seed potatoes and the cold store for Agrico are arranged by Wietze."

And with the shortage of good staff, the brothers are very happy that Roelof has recently joined the family business full-time, as the fourth generation.

Roelof Schuiling:

"I still have to finish my thesis for the Business Administration and Agrifood Business course in Dronten, but I am already working from home a lot."

Perhaps Gosse's sons will also want to join the partnership one day, but they are still too young.

The company makes a targeted choice to innovate due to the tight labor market. The investment in the new sorting machine was made to automate work further and make it easier for them. They have already started sorting in October and the last potatoes were sent out at the end of June.

Wietze Schuiling:

"A season simply takes a very long time. It is very difficult to find people to work at the sorting table for the period from October to April. We also sort for three other companies in the area."

Gosse Schuiling:

"This also makes you stronger. That’s how we were raised. We grew up through cooperation. That way you have more labor and machines at your disposal. Sometimes we help one person and other times the other person helps us. That also makes you more flexible."

This is necessary, because due to the increased demand for French fry varieties, they both notice that the season is shifting to spring.

Wietze Schuiling:

"This is particularly difficult for smaller growers. When the spring is nice, you want to be in the field in April, but that clashes with the sorting work in the shed. You can only be in one place at a time."