Onion cultivation in the Netherlands and Belgium is on the rise as spring arrives, with about 30% of the onion acreage already sown despite a rapidly drying up land due to sun and wind. The rest of the Netherlands is expected to follow suit, with light soils being plowed for sowing. Irrigation has been done on heavier soils to prepare for sowing. De Groot en Slot estimates that this year's onion acreage is lower than last year, with about 80 to 90% of the second-year onion sets already in the ground.