Dutch farmers face lower yields due to drought but maintain profitability

Dutch arable farmers are experiencing crop yields between 10 and 30 percent lower than normal due to persistent drought. Affected crops include potatoes, onions, carrots, sugar beets, wheat, and barley. While the reduced volume and smaller, lighter sizes of the produce present challenges—particularly regarding weight-based payments and specific size requirements for industrial use—many farmers remain profitable.

This profitability is driven by rising market prices across Northwest Europe caused by widespread shortages. Farmers who have not yet locked in fixed-price contracts are benefiting from these higher prices on the free market. However, outcomes vary significantly by region; farmers on higher sandy soils in the east and south, who faced irrigation bans, have suffered more damage than those permitted to irrigate.