‘Potato sector should focus on reward system rather than punishment’ RE SEARCH successful. ‘But we can organise the chain more cleverly by preventing problems. The current success is based on the fact that the potato sector is a champion problem solver. This was founded in the last decades of the twentieth century. The Bintje– a multi-purpose variety that never actually scored best – was then by far the biggest variety. To process it into chips, the manufacturer needed to be very creative. Despite the fact that we have new varieties today, the sector has forgotten to focus on preventing problems. It is still concentrating on solving them. You can see this in most of the contracts that are concluded with growers. You agree to a maximum price and from that point, as a grower, it can only go down. The result is that growers mostly focus on providing a minimum quality, because a better quality doesn’t yield a higher price. The challenge lies in an improved chain. You also see this happening in the seed potato sector. Reasoned from the viewpoint of the chain, seed potato growers are cultivating the planting stock for consumption growers. Buyers want small seed that provides optimum stem divisions and consequently a maximum yield. Seed potato growers, however, are not paid per tuber but per kilogram. This means that they want to produce the highest possible kilogram yield. The result is that plots of seed potatoes are allowed to grow for too long, increasing the likelihood of disease’, Kooman outlines the current situation. ‘What is the role of the lectureship in situations such as these?’, he puts to his Audience. ‘We can carry out a study and subsequently map out what the consumption potato growers will earn if they get smaller seed. You can represent this method in a model. Subsequently, you can calculate the lost proceeds for the seed potato grower if the growing period of his seed is two weeks shorter. Finally, you can weigh up the costs and see how you distribute the extra income in the chain. I am now convinced that you can only hold a discussion like this on the basis of figures and not on opinions. You have to show clearly the advantages for the one party and the disadvantages for the other. The “The potato sector is a champion at problem solving.” challenge is to level off advantages and disadvantages in a way that’s best for the entire chain. This principle also applies to the French-fry chain. On the one hand, growers provide French–fry potatoes with a minimum quality, and on the other the manufacturers need to adjust their machinery in order to produce the chips they want. If you want to produce the best quality, this will only be possible if the links in the chain are well attuned. This means, for example, that you agree to a minimum quality and then pay more for a better quality potato. A smart chain provides the quantity and quality that was asked for and provides an optimum adjustment with a minimum of failure costs. Failure costs in this case being correcting operational errors’, Kooman explains. Practical implementation At this moment the lectureship already covers a number of projects. One of them is ‘big data’. Kooman points out that a lot of data is already being stored. ‘Sensors compute and produce a big flow of data. One field can produce as many as 6 gigabytes. But registration doesn’t stop with the fields, masses of data are also generated during storage, management programmes etc. Analysing this data is the challenge. This is done by bringing all the data together and examining it for possible connections. Subsequently, after testing in the field, you can establish whether there is a causal connection or only a correlation. Together with the NAK (General Inspection Service for Agricultural Seed and Seed Potatoes), we’re currently examining the problem disease Erwinia based on the data of the inspection results of the seed potato growers. Correlations are worked out on the basis of soil, cultivation and weather details, among other things. In order to do this we look into the possible differences among growers. The aim of this project is to supply healthier seed of a better quality which is cheaper for the chain. Last year, one of the students worked on a study examining how to grow varieties susceptible to Erwinia as seed’, Kooman explains. In addition, the lecturer wants to examine how chains can be organised in the most optimal way. ‘This starts with an analysis, but then nothing further happens. For example, a grower wants to start his own marketing. What do you need? Which indicators are needed? How can you make the chain operational? This autumn, a group of students will spend a week putting together a proposal on how to improve the potato chain. I’ve noticed that students often come up with original ideas. We see that in projects abroad, for example. We’re already active in China and Myanmar. This summer, we’ll be going to Kenya for a big seed potato project. One of the students is going to examine how local consumption growers can keep enough money to buy healthy seed’, Kooman gives a glimpse into the future. Looking at the future, the new lecturer confirms that he wants to make the chain futureproof. ‘Here at CAH Vilentum, we’re going to give the trade some tools to improve the chain step by step. On the one hand, we’ll do this by offering practical solutions and, on the other, by turning out practice-oriented students with knowledge about big data analysis and chain optimisation’, Kooman explains. ● Jaap Delleman Potato World 2017 • number 1 15 Pagina 14
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