In Belgium, Flemish farmers grow 7 percent more ware potatoes

The increase in the acreage of potatoes and grain is at the expense of, among other things, the area for maize, which fell by 7.2 percent. The growth of the potato area by 6.8 percent is due to the increasing demand for consumption potatoes and a good potato price. In Flanders, the area for consumption potatoes has grown by 7.1 percent to 55,726 hectares. This is partly at the expense of the seed potato area, which will decrease by 4.8 percent to 1,367 hectares. The total area of potatoes in 2023 will be 57,093 hectares. High grain prices Due to the high grain prices in 2022, the acreage of grains has also increased. This is especially true for winter cereals. With 71,000 hectares, 15 percent more winter wheat will be grown in Flanders than in 2022. The area of winter barley has even grown by 21 percent and now covers 17,600 hectares. It is striking that the falling grain prices in recent months have had a direct impact on summer grain cultivation. In 2023, farmers in Flanders ...