Dutch potato growers are facing a dilemma this September because their crop is too small to dig up ahead of the October 1 deadline, according to a news story by DutchNews.nl.
Farmers working on sandy soil must have harvested their potato crop by the end of the month under EU rules. If they don’t hit the target, they will be allowed to use less manure as a fertilizer next year.
From 2023, potatoes grown on sandy soil must be harvested by October 1 to prevent harmful nitrates and nitrogen compounds from entering the groundwater, in line with a European directive.
The directive states that ‘catch crops’ – fast-growing intermediate crops which absorb nitrogen compounds – must be planted by that date.
Source: DutchNews.nl. Read the full story here
Photo: Credit WikimediaImages from Pixabay
