Royal Avebe started potato campaign

The supply for Royal Avebe's potato campaign started at the production location in Gasselternijveen. Although growing conditions were excellent until early July, the heat and lack of precipitation in recent weeks in many growing regions are raising concerns about further crop growth.

Drought

The high temperatures of recent weeks and the lack of precipitation have resulted in a negative moisture balance in the soil. Concerns about this are growing. The cooperative cannot say much about the expectations for the harvest at the moment.

Much depends on the temperatures and precipitation in the next 4 to 5 weeks. Looking ahead to the weather forecasts, Avebe has decided to postpone the campaign for the production location in Ter Apelkanaal by a week. The first potatoes are delivered there in the week of August 29.

Perspective at the farmers

Avebe also responds to weather conditions by developing potato varieties for the future that are better able to withstand drought and warmer weather conditions.

In addition, the focus of Averis, the breeding company of the cooperative, is on developing varieties that help make potato cultivation more sustainable and create a better yield for its farmer members.

This is one of the ways in which Avebe supports its members in a period when the sector is undergoing many changes. By developing crops with resistances, fewer crop protection agents are needed in cultivation and the environmental impact is reduced.

Germany

In addition to production locations in the Netherlands, Avebe also has production locations in Dallmin and Lüchow, Germany. The campaign in Dallmin will start in the same week as in Gasselternijveen.

Due to the weather conditions in Germany, the campaign in Lüchow has also been postponed by a week.

The campaign there will start, just like in Ter Apelkanaal, in the week of 29 August. The weather conditions in Germany are even more extreme than in the Netherlands.

In the campaign, which is planned until mid-May 2023, the starch potatoes of the approximately 2300 Dutch and German members will be processed into potato starch and potato protein.

These ingredients are further processed by Avebe's customers in foodstuffs, applications in construction products, the paper industry and animal feed.