May/June 2019 - 23

nearly 100,000 hectares of potatoes at
an estimated value of €350 and €550
million euros ($394 and $620 million).
With the aim to improve quality and
quantity, Belgian farmers continue
to invest in sustainable cultivation
practices and logistics.
One of those investments is a digital
platform called WatchITgrow, which
was launched to support growers in
monitoring arable crops. WatchITgrow
combines satellite data with weather
data, soil data, IoT data and field data
that is provided by the grower to make
decisions that help increase yields.
The data collected is analyzed and
used to provide growers with more
timely and personalized advice. Growers
who collect and submit crop-related
data are eligible to receive a financial
bonus of €250-750 from their buyer.
With this financial support, the buyers
hope to encourage farmers to use new
digital technologies. Doing so will
help them to strengthen the country's
agricultural sector.
To help growers improve quality,
companies like Mydibel, which
develops, produces and commercializes
potato products, puts together test
fields for variety research. By cultivating
various varieties under similar soil and
climatic conditions, the company gains
valuable practical knowledge on plant
distancing, plant depth and fertilization,
among other things. It also allows them
to compare promising new varieties,
like Bintje, Fontane and Challenger.
According to Belgapom, it's not
entirely good news, though. Prolonged
drought and high
temperatures
felt
throughout the 2018-19 growing season
have caused extensive damage to the
potato supply chain. Low yields are likely
to impact the bottom lines of many a
business throughout the supply chain.
Wherever
possible, Belgapom has
worked to foster communication
between growers and the companies
that execute their contracts. Belgapom
says
that
trade and industry
have
adapted their quality requirements
in order to address the current issues
they face, admitting that this has led to
shorter fries.
The difficulties faced in the 2018-19
growing season will continue to be felt
in 2019, as the amount and quality of
seed potato was also impacted.
Belgapom is looking to an imminent
decision on the use of the sprout
inhibitor CIPC (chlorpropham) by the
European Commission as another
potential setback. Should it have its
authorization revoked, Belgian farmers
would no longer have access to CIPC. The
sector has been examining alternative
solutions, but is not yet ready for such
a monumental change. Not only will
it require training, but also significant
investment in potato storage.
Despite the challenges ahead,
stakeholders across the supply chain
remain positive. While the development
of the processing sector will continue
to work to meet global demand, some
of the supply may need to come from
neighboring countries.
In the meantime, Belgium's major
players continue to work together in
order to support sustained growth and
investment in what has come to be
part of their national identity alongside
waffles, chocolate and beer.
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Spudman * May/June 2019
23
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May/June 2019

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