Universitatea “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” Iaşi Facultatea de Geografie şi Geologie

Agricultura Olandei

Sinteză

Profesor: Camară Gabriel Student: Vasiliu IuliaDisciplina: GERN Grupa: 1214 B

Agricultura Olandei este una dintre cele mai performante din Comunitatea Economică

Europeană. Densitatea populaţiei influenţează însă puternic dimensiunea fermelor

individuale, circa 90% dintre acestea având între 2 - 2,5 ha şi mai mult de jumătate circa 5

ha. O altă cale de dezvoltare a agriculturii este extinderea suprafeţelor cultivabile, dar şi aici

s-a ajuns la limita la care extinderea urbană a depăşit ritmul recuperării de noi terenuri.

În condiţiile arătate, rezultatele agriculturii olandeze s-au obţinut datorită cultivării intensive

a terenurilor arabile şi a unei specializări foarte accentuate în sectorul creşterii vitelor şi

a horticulturii.

Din suprafaţa totală de 2.215.000 ha utilizate în agricultură, păşunile ocupă 62% ,

pământul arabil, 33% şi grădinăritul, 5% (dintre care 7.100 ha culturile de seră). Primul loc

în sectorul agricol este ocupat de creşterea vitelor cu un aport de 67,5% din valoarea

producţiei globale a agriculturii olandeze faţă de 18% - partea horticulturii. Creşterea

vitelor este concentrată îndeosebi în provinciile din Nord şi din Vest. Reputaţia Olandei ca

mare producătoare de produse lactate este foarte veche, untul de Delft sau cel de Leida

bucurându-se de o largă preferinţă pe piaţa internaţională. În prezent, circa 40% din

producţia de lapte este industralizată în vederea exportului, Olanda situându-se pe primul

loc în exportul mondial de brânzeturi şi de lapte condensat. Aceeaşi atenţie este acordată

creşterii păsărilor, Olanda fiind cea mai mare exportatoare de ouă de pe piaţa mondială.

Culturile cerealiere (grâu, orz, secară, ovăz) ocupă o suprafaţă redusă (cca. 3/5 din suprafaţa

terenurilor agricole) şi nu acoperă consumul intern. În schimb, culturile de sfeclă de zahăr

satisfac în întregime consumul intern (care atinge cifra de 50 kg de zahăr pe locuitor,

respectiv cu circa 30% mai ridicat decat Franţa), creând şi un disponibil pentru export.

Apropierea de marile centre şi admirabilul sistem de comunicaţii au fost condiţii de bază

care au dat un impuls deosebit culturilor horticole şi florale a le ţării. Culturile de seră,

care şi-au văzut în ultimii ani suprafaţa sporită cu mai bine de 70% , dau regiunii

Westland din sudul oraşului Haga un aspect mai mult industrial decât agricol, datorită

nenumăratelor coşuri ale instalaţiilor destinate să menţină temperatura optimă pentru

dezvoltarea plantelor .

Faima Olandei, bine meritată de altfel, este legată de culturile sale de flori, îndeosebi de

culturile de lalele. Adusă în ţară de naturalistul Clusius în anul 1593, ca o curiozitate

exotică, laleaua avea să devină curând echivalentul devizelor forte până în crahul din

1637. Virusul care afectase la un moment dat corola plantei face posibilă crearea unor

varietăţi necunoscute, ceea ce se va dovedi deosebit de important.

Un loc important printre resursele naturale ale Olandei îl ocupă bancurile sezoniere de

heringi din Atlantic. Descoperirea de către un pescar zeelandez a posibilităţilor de

conservare îndelungată a peştelui, la sfârşitul sec. al XIV-lea, avea să dea la timpul său un

puternic impuls întregii economii, transpunând pescuitul din limitele unei activităţi de

importanţă locală pe planul larg al comerţului internaţional. Aceasta avea să însemne

apariţia unui număr de porturi pescăreşti, extinderea flotei de pescuit şi, implicit, a razei

sale de acţiune în căutarea unei noi specii, dezvoltarea unei reţele de ateliere profilate pe

problemele conservării peştelui, acorduri şi conflicte internaţionale şi, în orice caz, venituri

importante.

În mirifica agricultură a Olandei

Date generale

- Situată în N-V Europei.

- Climă temperat-oceanică. Precipitaţii anuale, cu vânturi puternice, care permit obţinerea

energiei electrice cu ajutorul morilor de vânt.

- Relief – câmpie în partea de nord şi podiş calcaros în partea de sud.

- Suprafaţa totală – 3,38 mil. ha.

- Teren agricol – 1,92 mil.ha. (56,7% din suprafaţa totală).

- Teren arabil – 0,9 mil. ha. (21,96% din suprafaţa totală).

- Pajişti – 1,1 mil. ha.

- Păduri – 0,37 mil.ha (11,1% din suprafaţa totală).

- Populaţia agricolă activă – 300.000 (4% din populaţia activă).

Structura exploataţiilor agricole

- Activitatea agricolă se desfăşoară sub forma unor holdinguri, care au la bază contracte de

cooperare şi cuprind:

* producătorii propriu-zişi;

* colectorii de produse agricole primare;

* transporturi;

* asigurare tehnică şi materială;

* consultanţă tehnică, economică şi legală.

- Holdingurile sunt constituite în funcţie de specificul producţiei, iar suprafaţa terenurilor

agricole diferă în funcţie de acest specific (crescători de animale, în medie – 20 ha, culturi de

câmp – 30 ha, sere – 1 ha.)

- În prezent sunt 81.800 holdinguri.

- Produce 11% din PIB.

- Contribuie la export cu 26%.

- Ocupă locul trei în lume la exportul produselor agricole (după SUA şi Franţa).

- Cea mai importantă parte a sectorului agricol olandez este horticultura.

- Număr de animale:

* păsări pentru carne – 45 mil.

* păsări pentru ouă – 44 mil.

* porci – 14 mil.

* vite pentru carne – 5,0 mil.

* vaci pentru lapte – 2,0 mil.

- Creşterea vitelor se realizează în ferme cu un număr mediu de circa 50-70 capete, acestea

reprezentând peste 50% din totalul celor 24.000 de ferme.

- Desfacerea produselor se face prin colectorii care prezintă produsele spre vânzare în cadrul

licitaţiilor zilnice la bursele specializate, produsele fiind preluate de către angrosişti, pentru

vânzare la intern sau la export.

Cooperativele agricole din Olanda

- Fiecare fermier olandez este membru în trei-patru cooperative cu specializare îngustă, cum ar

fi: de aprovizionare, de credit, de prelucrarea fiecărui tip de producţie.

- Politica economică a guvernului olandez are în vedere menţinerea fermelor familiale şi

sprijinirea cooperativelor fermierilor, acestea fiind supuse unor impozite mai reduse.

Rolul statului  în agricultura olandeză

- Impozite mai reduse pentru fermieri şi cooperative.

- Subvenţionarea dobânzilor la credite.

- Acordarea de garanţii financiare pentru obţinerea unor împrumuturi.

- Asigurarea suportului financiar fermierilor care fac investiţii în folosul mediului înconjurător.

- Susţinerea financiară a sistemului de educaţie pentru fermieri.

- Susţinerea sistemului de cercetare pentru agricultură şi mediu rural.

Agricultura olandeză – secretul performanţei

Agricultura olandeză este cea mai performantă din Comunitatea Economică Europeană (CEE).

Cu numai 1,7% din populaţia activă, Olanda realizează 8% din producţia agricolă a Uniunii

Europene, iar la nivel mondial este, ca şi Franţa, a doua ţară exportatoare de produse agricole,

după Statele Unite ale Americii. O astfel de poziţie este rezultatul unei istorii agricole olandeze

care, de mai bine de trei secole, se află în fruntea Europei, şi al unei politici agricole care a

încurajat toate regiunile, inclusiv pe cele defavorizate. Acest proces s-a realizat printr-o

repartizare echilibrată a resurselor financiare, între cercetare, modernizare, amenajarea spaţiului

rural şi susţinerea agroindustriei. Agricultura olandeză este, în esenţă, una de tip familial, cu

exploataţii agricole mici (în medie, 2-5 hectare). Statul îşi asumă direcţiile generale de dezvoltare

economică, puse în practică prin organisme “orizontale” – holdinguri – formate din reprezentanţi

ai exploataţiilor agricole, care au şi menirea de a apăra interesele lor regionale şi de a propune

soluţii de optimizare a întregului proces.

La o suprafaţă totală de 41.528 kilometri pătraţi şi o populaţie de 16 milioane de locuitori,

terenul agricol reprezintă, în Olanda,  56%, cel arabil, 20%, pădurile, 11%. O pătrime din

teritoriul Olandei este situată sub nivelul mării, iar nivelul apelor subterane este reglat artificial.

Ponderea, în agricultura olandeză, o au horticultura (flori şi leguminoase) şi creşterea animalelor.

În legumicultură, este, în Europa, cea mai mare exportatoare de castraveţi, ocupă locul al doilea

la ardei, al treilea, la tomate şi ciuperci, dar şi alte legume sunt produse în cantităţi remarcabile.

În privinţa floriculturii, Olanda este cea mai mare piaţă de flori din lume, centrul mondial al

producţiei de flori şi arbuşti ornamentali, cu o cotă de aproximativ 68%. 88% din producţia

mondială de lalele se realizează aici, urmată de trandafiri (800 milioane euro anual) şi crizanteme

(270 milioane euro). Sistemele de sere, cu tehnologie de ultimă oră, împânzesc ţara (10 000 de

hectare de sere, în toată ţara).

Sectorul produselor lactate este orientat, în mare măsură, spre export, şi se bazează pe o

producţie în jur de 11 milioane tone de lapte anual. Sortimentele de brânză şi unt sunt cunoscute

în întreaga lume şi au o excelentă calitate. La fel de important este şi sectorul creşterii păsărilor,

Olanda fiind, şi la exportul de ouă, pe primul loc în lume.

Agricultura olandeză este principalul furnizor de peste şi crustacee al Europei (fie că este vorba

de peştele pescuit în Oceanul Atlantic sau de cel din fermele piscicole), posedă cea mai

importantă industrie de prelucrare a peştelui, olandezii fiind ei înşişi mari consumatori ai acestui

aliment. Printre cele mai apreciate produse, în acest compartiment, sunt somonul afumat şi

heringii săraţi (specialităţi locale).

Producţia de bere (25 de milioane de hectolitri pe an) şi, în ultima vreme, şi de vinuri, în

proporţie de 60% este destinată exportului.

Practic, nu există sector agricol neperformant. Cum se explică acest succes extraordinar al

agriculturii olandeze? Prin câteva aspecte respectate şi îmbunătăţite constant:

Hărnicia, creativitatea oamenilor, dorinţa lor de a-şi îmbunătăţi mereu nivelul de trai,

respectul faţă de proprietatea asupra pământului;

O politică responsabilă a statului olandez, care susţine cercetarea pentru agricultură, a impus

impozite mai mici pentru fermieri şi promovează sisteme de educaţie pentru aceştia, acordă

subvenţii şi garanţii financiare pentru obţinerea unor împrumuturi; sunt încurajate, de asemenea,

fermele familiale şi asociaţiile agricole;

Organizarea producătorilor agricoli, a colectorilor de produse agricole, a transportatorilor din

domeniu, în holdinguri, care să apere interesele agricultorilor, să ofere consultanţa tehnică, să

medieze cu statul;

Stabilirea preţului produselor prin licitaţii zilnice, la burse specializate, la care participă

colectorii, care predau marfa angrosiştilor, aceştia desfăcând-o pe piaţa internă sau la export; în

felul acesta, preţurile se menţin în nişte limite rezonabile;

Dezvoltarea unui sistem integrat, funcţional, care cuprinde producţia – prelucrarea –

distribuţia;

Interesul din ce în ce mai mare pentru agricultura ecologică şi specializarea pe anumite

sectoare;

Accesarea, cu responsabilitate, a fondurilor europene.

În mod firesc, ne-am putea întreba de ce România, cu o suprafaţă agricolă de 14 milioane de

hectare, adică de şapte ori mai mare decât a Olandei (care are 2,5 milioane hectare) nu numai că

nu se află în topul european al producţiei agricole, dar nici nu asigură consumul intern, iar

preţurile produselor agricole sunt exorbitante. Un răspuns simplu derivă dintr-o statistică de anul

trecut, potrivit căreia 7 milioane de hectare (jumătate din suprafaţa agricolă a României), au

rămas nelucrate. Iar restul, în mare parte, este lucrat rudimentar, la limita subzistenţei, în

gospodăriile ţărăneşti, unde nu asigură nici strictul necesar.

Olanda este pe locul întâi în lume la producţia şi exportul de flori, pe al doilea la brânzeturi, pe al

treilea, la produse agricole (luate laolaltă) şi, în general, nu există sector al agriculturii olandeze

care să nu obţină performanţă, în condiţiile în care suprafeţele trebuie ţinute mereu sub control,

printr-un vast  sistem de indiguire şi nimeni nu îşi îngăduie să risipească sau să neglijeze ceea ce

s-a obţinut cu atâta efort.

Agricultura olandeză este principala furnizoare la nivel mondial de produse horticole şi un

exportator important de carne şi de produse lactate

Chiar dacă deţine o suprafaţă agricolă de doar 2,3 milioane hectare, de aproape şapte ori mai

mică decât cea a României, Olanda reprezintă la ora actuală unul dintre cele mai de succes

modele de agricultură. Este practic al doilea exportator de produse agricole din lume, după SUA.

De altfel, mai mult de jumătate din produsele agricole importate de ţara noastră provin din

Olanda.

Deoarece este o ţară cu o mare densitate a populaţiei, aici nimeni nu îşi permite să irosească

pământul.

Agricultorii îşi fertilizează foarte bine solul, folosesc maşini de ultimă generaţie şi reprezintă trei

procente din populaţia activă a ţării. Majoritatea fermelor sunt de mici dimensiuni, însă

productivitatea este foarte ridicată. Mai mult de jumătate din exploataţiile agricole ocupă sub 20

hectare.

 Campioni la producţia de lapte

Creşterea vacilor pentru producţia de lapte este una dintre principalele îndeletniciri ale

fermierilor olandezi. Combinaţia dintre câmpie şi clima plăcută şi umedă este ideală pentru acest

tip de agricultură. Olanda înregistrează cea mai mare producţie de lapte pe cap de bovină din

lume. Industria de prelucrare a laptelui se află la un nivel tehonlogic foarte ridicat. Piaţa

lactatelor este auto-suficientă şi cele mai multe produse derivate din lapte sunt exportate.

Pe lângă vaci, olandezii se ocupă şi cu creşterea păsărilor, în special a puilor de găină şi raţelor, a

tineretului de ovine, a porcilor şi curcanilor. Totodată, Olanda este cea mai mare exportatoare de

ouă pe piaţa mondială.

Un rol important în rândul resurselor naturale ale micului regat îl ocupă bancurile sezoniere de

heringi din Atlantic. Peştele proaspăt şi midiile se exportă în cantităţi mari, aducând venituri

importante.

Teren fertil

Sistemul naţional de irigaţii şi canalizare a favorizat fertilitatea deosebită a solurilor în Olanda.

Pe de altă parte, folosirea extensivă a chimicalelor a condus la o presiune ecologică şi la

regularizări ale acestei politici, pentru a reduce amprenta negativă asupra mediului. Pe de o parte

de teama poluării şi pe de altă parte din motive de sănătate, consumul de produse bio a crescut în

ultimii ani.

În principal se cultivă cereale, cartofi şi sfeclă de zahăr. Olanda este cel mai mare furnizor de

cartofi şi produse derivate acestora pe piaţa europeană.

O parte deosebit de importantă a sectorului agricol olandez o ocupă legumicultura şi horticultura.

Culturile de flori, în special lalele, sunt apreciate în întreaga lume.

 Expansiunea fermelor ecologice

Guvernul olandez, prin măsurile legislative pe care le-a promovat în ultimii ani, stimulează

dezvoltarea practicilor ecologice în agricultură. În prezent, aproximativ 10 procente din bugetul

ministerului agriculturii alocate pentru cercetare revin acestui sector. Pentru a permite

producătorilor de produse ecologice să concureze cu agricultura tradiţională, autorităţile au

semnat convenţii cu reprezentanţii companiilor de retail, scopul fiind creşterea consumului de

produse ecologice cu 10 procente pe an.

Potrivit datelor oficiale, în 2010 existau în Olanda peste 1.400 de ferme certificate ca fiind unităţi

de producţie în agricultura ecologică, ocupând aproximativ 50.000 ha, ceea ce reprezintă 2,6%

din întreaga suprafaţă agricolă a ţării. Două treimi din aceasta este acoperită de păşuni

permanente. Mai mult de 10 la sută din suprafaţă este utilizată pentru a cultiva fructe, legume,

cartofi şi alte 10 procente pentru cereale.

Suprafeţe mai mici sunt utilizate pentru furaje şi alte culturi, iar aproape 740 ha sunt arii

protejate. Suprafaţa medie a unei exploataţii ecologice este de 36,2 ha, cu 40 la sută mai mare

decât cea a unei ferme tradiţionale. Mai mult de jumătate din producţia ecologică de fructe,

legume, carne de vită şi de pasăre, lactate şi ouă este exportată, în special, pe pieţele din Europa.

Consumatorii olandezi au cheltuit anul trecut 583 mil. euro pe produsele ecologice, o cotă de 2%

din piaţa agro-alimentară. Supermarket-urile au generat creşteri de peste 11% pe acest segment,

cu vânzări totale de 257 mil. euro. Vânzările în magazinele de specialitate au crescut cu aproape

9%, la 235 de mil. euro.

HORTICULTURĂ

Producţia de flori

Olanda, cel mai mare exportator mondial de flori, a vândut anul trecut pe pieţele externe 3,6

miliarde bulbi de flori, în valoare totală de 313 miliarde euro. SUA a rămas cea mai mare piaţă

individuală pentru florile olandeze, iar aproximativ 60% din exporturi au fost destinate Europei.

În 2010, circa 23.200 ha au fost rezervate pentru cultivarea florilor, fiind înregistraţi 1.700

cultivatori. Suprafaţa medie a unei exploataţii specializate în cultivarea florilor a fost de 14 ha.

PAC

Pro reformă

Autorităţile olandeze se opun vehement plafonării plăţilor către marii fermieri. Olanda

recunoaşte rolul agriculturii UE pe pieţele globale şi consideră că este importantă o monitorizare

atentă a impactului schimbărilor de politică agricolă comună asupra pieţelor terţe, pe care

Comisia ar trebui să o includă în Analiza de Impact privind viitorul PAC.

SUBVENŢII

Sprijin de 460 euro/ha

Fermierii olandezi beneficiază, în medie, de o subvenţie de 460 euro/hectar. În 2010, plăţile de

sprijin în cadrul PAC au totalizat aproape 1,27 miliarde euro, din care aproximativ 823 milioane

au constituit plăţi directe (64,9%), 73 milioane au fost alocate prin programul de dezvoltare

rurală (5,8%) şi circa 372 milioane euro, pentru stimularea exporturilor (29,3%).

ECONOMIE

Valoarea producţiei

Conform rapoartelor oficiale, valoarea totală a producţiei agricole obţinută în 2010 a fost

evaluată la 21,711 miliarde euro, ceea ce reprezintă 6,7 la sută din totalul înregistrat pe teritoriul

Uniunii Europene. Sectorul vegetal a contribuit cu aproximativ 56,6 la sută, dintre care 39,5% a

însemnat valoarea producţiei de legume şi produse horticole. Valoarea economică a sectorului

zootehnic a reprezentat 43,4 procente din totalul producţiei agricole.

Situaţia exploataţiilor agricole în Olanda

Structura exploataţiilor agricole

- Proprietate privată.

Activitatea agricolă se desfăşoară sub forma unor holdinguri, care au la bază contracte de

cooperare şi cuprind:

producătorii propriu-zişi

colectorii de produse agricole primare

transporturi

asigurare tehnică şi materială

consultanţă tehnică, economică şi legală

Unele exploatații mari au crescut atât de mult încât au fost clasificate drept megaferme (cu circa

410 vaci de lapte, 12.800 porci și 385 ha teren arabil).

Pentru perioada următoare se estimează o medie a scăderii numarului de ferme, cu 1.65 pe an, în

2015 putând fi vorba de o pierdere totala de aproximativ 10.000 de ferme.

Specificul holdingurilor constă în suprafaţa de teren relativ mică şi activitatea foarte intensivă

din ferme.

Din cele 76.800 holdinguri din care:

în domeniul creşterii vacilor şi oilor - 43%

în domeniul creşterii intensive a porcilor şi păsărilor – 11%

în domeniul serelor – 19%

în producţia agricolă propriu-zisă – 15%

în unităţi mixte – 12%.

În 2008, suprafața ocupată de culturile organice a fost de 50.435 ha (2,6% din suprafaţa agricolă

totală).

Piaţa produselor organice a crescut cu 12,4%, de la 518.9 milioane de euro (2007) la 583.41

milioane de euro în 2008.

Subvențiile agricole acordate OLANDEI, 2008

Subvenția totală alocată 952milioane euro

Contribuția /cetățean 200 euro

Subvenția/ha 505 euro

Subvenția medie/exploatație 12,369 euro

Politica Agricolă Comună este împărțită astfel:

• Ajutoare directe (87%)• Dezvoltare rurală (4%)• Subvenții pentru export (9%)

Holland is world-leading exporter of agro-food products

The Netherlands is the world's second largest exporter of agricultural products, after the USA.

Together with the USA and France, the Netherlands is one of the world's three leading producers

of vegetables and fruit. It supplies a quarter of the vegetables that are exported from Europe. The

agri-business is one of the driving forces behind the Dutch economy. At the same time, it poses

challenges to the environment. In recent decades, farms became larger in scale and production

became more intensive. As a result, fertilizers and manure made more impact on the countryside.

Farming had to become more sustainable, the Dutch government said. Today, the Dutch

agricultural sector is strongly focused on sustainability: it is a source of healthy, safe food that is

produced with respect for the landscape and the environment.

The Dutch agricultural sector is diverse; it covers a wide range of livestock and plant-cultivation

sectors that include, for example, arable and dairy farming, cultivation under glass, tree-growing

and pig farming.

Key aspects and strengths

- The Dutch agricultural sector benefits from Holland's mild climate, flat and fertile soil and

favourable geographical location at the heart of Europe.

- Expertise, infrastructure, the food processing industry, commerce and logistics are all on an

extremely high level in the Netherlands.

- For decades, Dutch agriculture has succeeded in maintaining its lead over international

competitors by continually investing in the renewal of agricultural production chains.

- Farmers and growers are full partners in the agricultural production chain. Their primary task is

to produce food, flowers and plants with an optimum price/quality radio using innovative,

socially responsible and sustainable methods.

- Despite tight profit margins, agricultural businesses have invested substantially in

environmental protection and implemented improvements in animal welfare.

Facts & figures

- There are some 50,000 farmers, or agricultural entrepreneurs, in the Netherlands, distributed

over various crop and animal sectors such as arable (crop) farming, dairy farming and pig

farming.

- The agricultural sector makes up approximately 10 percent of the Dutch economy and provides

work and income for more than 660,000 people.

- The sector has a strong international focus and accounts for almost 20 percent of the

Netherlands' total export value.

-. More than half of the Netherlands' total land surface of 4.15 million hectares is used as

farmland. 56 percent if used for arable and horticultural crops, 42 percent is permanent grassland

and 2 percent is used for permanent crops.

- There were 23,210 arable (crop) farm businesses in 2010.

- In 2010, there were more than 10,000 hectares of greenhouses in the Netherlands. Half of this,

5,000 hectares, was used for growing vegetables.

- Tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers are the biggest greenhouse crops.

- The Netherlands exported 1 billion kilos of tomatoes in 2009.

- The most common arable crops are: potatoes (seed, starch and edible), winter corn, summer

barley, sugar beets and onions.

- Production value of crop farming in 2010 was 2 billion euros. Potatos accounted for half of that

sum.

- Of the one hundred most competitive products produced in the Netherlands, about half derive

from the agriculture and food sector.

- The Netherlands exported 260 million kilos of cheese in 2009.

In 1998, agriculture accounted for 3.5 percent of the kingdom's GDP. Employment in agriculture

has actually been increasing slightly over the past decade. In 1995, there were 109,000 people

employed in the sector, but by 1999 that number had grown to 116,000. Much of this increase

has been the result of growth in the dairy and horticulture segments of agriculture. As in many

other countries, Dutch agriculture has been marked by the decline of the small, family-owned

farm and the rise of large corporations that specialize in agriculture. Many Dutch agricultural

firms have also become increasingly international and do a significant amount of their business

overseas or in other European nations.

Dutch agriculture is divided into 3 broad areas: crop production, dairy and livestock production,

and horticulture. The nation's agricultural land is also divided into 3 broad types: grasslands,

farmlands, and horticultural lands. The nation's extensive waterways and network of dams and

dikes allow for easy irrigation and have produced very fertile soils. On the other hand, the

increased use of chemicals in agriculture has created environmental pressures and led to new

ecological policies that are designed to reduce damage to the kingdom's environment. Partially

because of pollution concerns and partially because of health considerations, the consumption of

organic foods (crops and livestock that are raised without chemical fertilizers or pesticides) has

increased. While these foods now account for 2 percent of total production, by 2010 they are

expected to comprise 5-10 percent of total production.

The main food crops are barley, corn, potatoes, sugar beets, and wheat. Potatoes are the main

crop by volume, and in 1999 Dutch farmers produced 8.2 million metric tons of the crop. That

same year, the Dutch harvested 5.5 million metric tons of sugar beets, 1 million metric tons of

wheat, 240,000 metric tons of barley, and 58,000 metric tons of corn. Despite its wheat and

barley production, the nation is a major importer of wheat for animal fodder and cereal

production. After suffering a significant drop in production in 1998 because of flooding and bad

weather, agricultural harvests were up 23.9 percent in 1999. In 1998, the value of exports was

US$18.7 billion, while in 1999 it was US$31.7 billion. The major agricultural processed product

was cigarettes. The Netherlands is one of the least forested countries in the world. Over 90

percent of its forest products have to be imported.

Dairy and livestock production is highly specialized and technologically sophisticated. Extensive

grasslands provide grazing for dairy cows and beef. Dutch farmers have some of the highest

yields of beef and milk in the world (behind only the United States and Great Britain). The

nation is self-sufficient in dairy production and most dairy goods are exported. The main dairy

exports include butter, cheese, and condensed milk. The number of dairy cows has remained

relatively constant in the kingdom. In 1994, there were 1.69 million dairy cows and in 1998 there

were 1.61 million. In 1997, the nation produced 11 billion kiloliters of milk, about half of which

was used to produce cheese.

Many of the small, independent Dutch dairy farms have been bought by large corporations. One

of the largest dairy corporations in the Netherlands is Campina Melkunie. In 1999 this large,

multinational company did only 36 percent of its US$5 billion business in the Netherlands, with

the rest centered in various EU nations. The Dutch food and beverage company Unilever is one

of the world's largest corporations. The Dutch also have a large brewing industry. Firms such as

Heineken and Grolsch export beer around the world and have operations in 170 nations.

Besides dairy cows, the other main types of livestock are beef and veal, chicken, duck, lamb,

pork, and turkey. Eggs and beef are the main livestock exports. Total livestock numbers have

declined slightly over the past few years. For instance, in 1994 there were 7.7 million head of

cattle, but by 1998 that number had declined to 4.3 million. Likewise, there has been a similar

decline in the number of pigs. In 1994 there were 14.56 million pigs; however, by 1998 that

number had fallen to 13.45 million.

Seafood consumption has risen substantially in the Netherlands over the past 2 decades. Dutch

fishermen harvest some 407,000 metric tons of seafood each year. About half of this is

consumed locally and the rest exported. The Dutch also import significant amounts of seafood,

including squid, prawns, shrimp, and crab.

Horticulture, especially the growing of ornamental plants and flowers, is a major factor in Dutch

agriculture. The Dutch export significant amounts of cut flowers and bulbs, and the nation is

world-renowned for its tulips. About 75 percent of flowers are exported, and there has been

dramatic growth in exports to the United Kingdom, Italy, and Russia. This amounts to some 9

billion flowers per year. Horticulture is conducted in both open fields and through the use of

glass greenhouses. The Netherlands now contains over half of all of the greenhouses in Europe,

and there is a total of 44,000 acres of flowers under cultivation. Over 3,000 companies are

engaged in horticulture in the kingdom.

Countryside, landscape, nature and the environment

Agriculture and the environment

The environmental load imposed by the Dutch agriculture has decreased substantially since the

mid 1980s, despite the growth of production. This applies to the surplus of minerals, soil

pollution caused by heavy metals, ammonia emissions and the use of pesticides. Emissions of

greenhouse gases and fine particulates have declined to a muchlesser extent. Fine particulates

are, in particular, emitted by the poultry farming sector.

The targets for most of the environmental themes set from an ecological perspective have yet to

be achieved and the agricultural sector’s share in the various forms of environmental impact is

still relatively large. The agricultural sector’s relatively large share is largely due to the nature of

the production process, i.e. the use of the soil as a means of production, production in the open

air and the large number of animals.

For example, the agricultural and horticultural sector was responsible for about 40% of

acidification emissions and approximately 15% of greenhouse gas emissions in 2009 much

higher than the sectors’ less than 2% contribution to national income. For the purposes of a

comparison, in about 1990 the agricultural and horticultural sectors accounted for approximately

the same contribution to acidification emissions and greenhouse gas emissions as in 2009.

Consequently, the sector has exhibited a performance that is no better or worse than other

sectors.

Crop protection agents

The Dutch agricultural and horticultural sector’s total consumption of crop protection agents was

more than 21 million kg active ingredient per annum in the second half of the 1980s (Table 3),

an amount which had fallen to approximately 10 million kg in the years around the turn of the

century. As a result, the target – a 50% reduction between 1984-1988 and 2000 – specified in the

1991 MeerjarenPlan-Gewasbescherming (‘Multi-year plan for crop protection’, MJP-G) had

largely been achieved. Consumption increased again after 2000, and has fallen since 2007. In

2009, the total consumption was about 10% lower than in 2008 – and no less than 20% lower

than in 2007. However, the consumption was still – slightly – higher than in around 2002, when

fewer crop protection agents were available.

Until in the years around the turn of the century the focus was largely on the reduction of the use

of chemical agents: however, nowadays the emphasis has shifted primarily to the reduction of

the environmental impact. The environmental impact has declined sharply, in spite of the

approximately unchanged use of crop protection agents, in particular in the years around the turn

of the century. The calculation of the environmental impact does not take account of greenhouse

horticulture emissions: recent studies have indicated that these emissions have a much higher

environmental impact than had previously been assumed. Estimates indicate that approximately

one-quarter of the reduction of the environmental impact is due to the gradual introduction of

agents with a lower environmental impact and the prohibition of older agents with a high

environmental impact.Three-quarters of the reduction has been achieved by modifications in the

operations, such as equipment that reduces emissions and the introduction of cultivation-free

zones alongside ditches.

Use in the Netherlands, in spite of the great reduction, is still relatively high

OECD figures indicate that the Dutch consumption of chemical crop protection agents amounted

to an average of almost 5 kg active ingredient per hectare of cultivated land in 2005. This is a

relatively high level as compared to other countries. In the EU, only Italy has a higher

consumption – 5.8 kg per hectare. The Belgian consumption of about 4.4 kg is similar to that in

the Netherlands, but the consumption in countries such as France (2.5 kg), Germany (1.7 kg),

Denmark (1.2 kg), the UK (2.0 kg) and Austria (1.0 kg) is much lower. The US consumption is

even lower, at 0.7 kg per hectare. Conversely the consumption in Japan, with its highly-intensive

rice cultivation, is much higher: 12.3 kg per hectare (all the above figures are based on OECD

data).

However, the extent to which these figures are comparable is debatable. Some countries, for

example, have large areas of extensive grassland that lower the average use per hectare of

cultivated land. The comparison is more favourable when, as is practice in the Netherlands,

grassland is not taken into account: although the Netherlands’ use per hectare is then about

double the figure determined using the OECD’s method of calculation, the difference will be

much greater in many other countries. A comparison at crop level would be even better.

However, very few comparable data are available. In addition, account should be taken of the

degree of the environmental friendliness – or environmental unfriendliness – of the agents used

in the various countries.

The Netherlands’ relatively high consumption of chemical agents is in part due to the intensity

of the production, which is accompanied by relatively high yields per hectare, and to the

composition of the production package. The major contribution made by the horticultural sector

– and, in particular, the ornamental plant sector – increases the average use per hectare: for

example, the use in chrysanthemum cultivation is between 40 and 50 kg per hectare and in rose

cultivation about 70 kg. The higher use on crops such as potatoes and onions (10 to 20 kg per

hectare), which are cultivated on much larger areas than those used for horticultural produce,

also contributes to a higher general average.

Organic agriculture in the Netherlands

With a total surface area of about 4.15 million hectares, the Netherlands ranks among the smaller

countries in Western Europe. W ith a population of 16.5 million in the year 2007, it is one of the

most densely populated countries in the world.

The limited land area puts almost permanent pressure on rural areas, as these have to provide

oppor tunities for economic production and transpor tation. At the same time, valuable nature

areas and unique landscapes must be safeguarded for future generations.

Agriculture is an important sector in the Netherlands. Of the 3.4 million hectares of land sur face,

1.9 million hectares is dedicated to agriculture. Costs for land and labour are high and therefore

high productivity and good mechanisation are needed for farmers to be able to earn a living.

Organic acreage and plant production

Organic agriculture occupies a relatively small par t of the total agricultural acreage in the

Netherlands. With a share of 2.61 %, Dutch organic agriculture is below average compared to

other EU countries. However, almost all organic acreage is highly productive.

High-value crops have a relatively large share in the crop rotations.

A large part of the organic area is grassland that is used mainly for dairy production. Feed crops

are also grown mainly for dairy production. The dominant feed crop is silage maize. Cereals are

used mainly because of their positive role in crop rotation and have a relatively low share in the

farmers’ incomes. Important cereals are wheat and barley. These are grown partly for human

consumption and partly for animal feed.

Vegetable crops and potatoes are the most important cash crops in organic plant production.

Principal vegetable crops are carrots, onions and cabbage species. A large part of the yield of

these crops is exported to neighbouring countries. Greenhouse production is a very specific

branch of organic vegetable production, and although it is very small in terms of area (70 ha), it

has a very high economic value. Tomato, sweet pepper and cucumber are impor tant organic

greenhouse crops.

The main Dutch fruit crops are apples and pears. Scab-resistant apple varieties such as Santana

and Evita are impor tant organic fruit crops. Besides apples and pears, berries and wine grapes

are grown. In addition to these main branches of plant production, many other crops are grown

organically, for example, ornamentals, flowers, bulbs and mushrooms.

Animal production

Dutch people consume a lot of dairy products, and organic dairy has enjoyed increasing

popularity. Most of the consumed dairy products come from dairy cattle. In the Netherlands there

are approximately 16,000 organic dairy cows on 305 farms, with an average cow density of 1.77

per hectare. Moreover, there are about 60 organic goat dairy farms and 15 organic sheep dairy

farms.

Their produce is mainly exported.

About 170 farms produce organic beef. Dutch organic beef production is in steady decline,

similar to conventional beef production. Consumer demand for organic beef, however, has

shown steady growth. A large part of the organic beef that is sold in the Netherlands is therefore

imported.

The number of organic pig farms has increased slowly in recent years, as has the number of pigs

per farm. Currently there are approximately 65 organic pig farms in the Netherlands. The number

of organic laying hens in the Netherlands has increased strongly over the last few years, from

about 405,000 in 2004, to almost 1 million in 2007. However, this still amounts to only 4 per

centof all laying hens in the country. Three-quarters of all organic eggs are exported to Germany.

Organic poultry meat is produced on only 10 Dutch farms, which together house about 55,000

birds.

Area remains constant with rising demand

Consumer demand for organic products has risen steadily over the last 10 years. In 2008,

consumer spending on organic produce amounted to €583 million, a market share of 2.1 per cent.

The product groups fruit, potatoes and vegetables, and dairy and eggs enjoy the highest market

hares of 3.8 and 4.3,per cent respectively. The main sales channels for organic produce are

supermarkets and specialised organic or natural food stores, with respective shares of 45 and 42

per cent of total sales.

Upcoming sales channels are the internet and the catering market. Sales of organic produce in

the catering market have almost doubled from €23.4 million in 2007, to €46.1 million in 2008.

A typical sales channel for organic produce is the so-called ‘box scheme’. The latter entails a

subscription plan where the consumer receives a box or bag containing an assortment of freshly

harvested vegetables and fruit every week, for a fixed price.

Over the last decade, consumer spending on organic produce has grown 8.5 per cent annually on

average. International sales of organic produce are also still increasing. However, since 2004, the

number of organic farms has declined and the total organic acreage has almost stabilised.

This development has caused a shor tage in the supply of organic produce in recent years. Dutch

conventional farmers are currently reluctant to conver t to organic agriculture. An active

campaign is now taking place to try to influence the views and attitudes of these farmers.

Organic production needs to be considered more as an economically viable option for farm

development.

Ambitions for sustainable development

The organic sector in the Netherlands is dedicated to the continuing sustainability of organic

agriculture. The sector suppor ts a long-term vision in which a top per formance in sustainability

is the goal. Based on this vision, ambitions have been formulated, which in many cases go much

further than the current standards for cer tified organic production as described in EU

regulations.

Priority issues in sustainability are the following: animal welfare, a clean environment, climate-

neutral production, on-farm nature and biodiversity, close connection with society and

consumers, healthy, flavourful and safe food, 100% organic inputs and no depletion of resources.

Following the recommendations of the organic sector, a substantial part of the agenda for

research and knowledge circulation is dedicated to these ambitions.

Multifunctionality and connecting to society

Due to the dense population and competing claims for land in the Netherlands, there are oppor

tunities for multifunctional land use and multifunctional agriculture. The organic sector in the

Netherlands contains a very high number of multifunctional farms. Sixty per cent of all organic

farms have activities in addition to primary production. This is three times higher than in

conventional agriculture.

Nature conservation is the most common side-activity, with 40 per cent of farms involved.

Direct sales (30%), recreation (20%) and healthcare (12%) are other significant activities.

It is striking that organic farms are often specifically involved in activities that foster a closer

connection between society and production. On organic farms, the general public is much more

personally involved in the farm and in food production than on conventional farms.

Ambitious policy

Dutch policy actively supports the development of organic agriculture. The motivation for this

support is the sector’s strong performance with regard to sustainability, multifunctionality and

social connections. A precondition is that organic agriculture connects with forerunners in

sustainability in mainstream agriculture, and in this way promotes the exchange of knowledge.

The government also challenges the sector to strengthen its connection with society. The organic

sector must continue with its own development. In the years to come, the Dutch organic sector

should develop into a robust and independent sector, with a market share that increases by 10 per

cent annually. Additionally, organic acreage should grow by 5 per cent annually. Knowledge and

market development are considered to be the main driving forces for the growth of organic

agriculture. Therefore, financial suppor t from the government is focused on these aspects

instead of direct financial support for organic farmers.

Market development is facilitated by the Taskforce Market Development for Organic

Agriculture. An important objective of the Taskforce is to increase the sales of organic produce.

This Taskforce organises consumer campaigns, supports retailers in their marketing efforts and

promotes export and import of organic produce. Moreover, the organisation has a role in

balancing supply and demand considering the current shor tage in the supply of organic produce.

Another important way to encourage market development in organic agriculture, is effective

cooperation between the parties in the chain. This cooperation is outlined in a formal agreement

between chain parties. Chain management is a key element in the approach taken through this

formal agreement. Acting as impartial discussion partners for all links in the chain, chain

managers are encouraging greater efforts from businesses towards both consumers and other

links in the chain.

Knowledge development is strongly directed at strengthening the innovative power of the sector.

There is also ample attention to knowledge exchange and use of knowledge. The organic sector

is, through the Bioconnect network, specifically involved in setting the agenda for knowledge

development and exchange. To support knowledge development and exchange, there is a

standard allocation to the organic sector of 10% of the budget for policy support research and

statutory research tasks in agriculture.

Dutch research on organic agriculture: approaches and characteristics

A short history

Dutch research on organic agriculture began in the late 1970s with the establishment of a

national experimental farm to evaluate the potential of organic agricultural systems (the DFS in

Nagele).

During the same period, the Louis Bolk Institute in Driebergen (see Box) established a

department for organic agriculture. Both initiatives were in response to the growing interest in

organic agriculture as an alternative to conventional farming.

On the 72-hectare experimental farm ‘Development of Farming Systems’ (DFS), three farming

systems – on a semi-commercial scale – were developed, implemented and compared from 1977

until 2002. The three systems were a bio-dynamic mixed system, an integrated system and a

conventional arable farming system. In the 1980s, vir tually the only government-sponsored

research on organic agriculture in the Netherlands took place on the DFS farm. In the 1990s,

however, research on organic and integrated farming systems expanded into other regions and

other sectors, such as nursery trees, vegetables, flower bulbs, fruit and dairy farming. Almost

simultaneously, the interest in more thematic or disciplinary research into aspects of organic

farming increased. These types of research were mostly carried out in the context of systems

research or in cooperation with commercial farms. The Louis Bolk Institute expanded its work

on organic farming, mainly in close cooperation with commercial farms, based on a participatory

research approach.

At the end of the 1990s, national pilot farm networks were established in arable farming,

vegetable farming and dairy farming. In these networks, commercial farms worked closely with

advisors and researchers on the development of their farming systems. These efforts led to

networks in other sectors, such as nursery trees, fruit, flower bulbs, poultry and pigs. Since that

time, the network approach has become a much appreciated key element in Dutch research and

development for organic agriculture.

Developing organic farming: concepts, visions and system approaches

Dutch research has always been led more by the intentions and values of the organic sector than

by formal rules, such as certification guidelines and government regulations. Organic farming

has always been regarded as ‘agriculture in development’. Striving to develop the full potential

of the sector is a goal that Dutch organic farming research has set for itself.

The International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements (IFOAM) formulated four

leading principles to inspire the organic movement: health, ecology, care and fairness. These

principles guide the IFOAM’s development of positions, programmes and standards. In the

Netherlands, a somewhat different set of concepts characterises the ambitions of organic

agriculture: sustainability; environmentally-friendly; animal welfare; products that are natural,

healthy and safe, and the connections to society, consumers and citizens. The concept of

naturalness was studied in depth and made operational in a study commissioned by the Louis

Bolk Institute.

A second defining characteristic of Dutch organic farming research is the system approach. This

approach reflects the awareness that farm per formance depends strongly on the interactions and

interdependencies of various farming methods and various aspects of these methods. To fulfil

multiple objectives in dif ferent domains, such as the environment, ecology and the economy, an

integral approach towards the whole farming system is needed. The different methods have to be

carefully geared to each other and the interactions optimised.

The Dutch research approach has always had an eye for designing, testing and improving

farming systems. Simultaneous attention is given to the development of concepts and visions, as

well as to the concrete development of feasible and effective strategies, methods and techniques.

For crop rotation, for instance, the basic strategy including its practical implications, potential

and challenges, was described and documented by Wijnands (1999).

The ambitions of the Dutch organic sector do not stop at the farm gate. Aspects such as climate

change, biodiversity, nature, landscape and sustainable food production clearly transcend the

farm’s boundaries. Research therefore focuses on various system levels and on the entire food

chain. Examples include the cooperation between various regional farms regarding the exchange

of feed and manure, and the total food-chain approach for a better performance on fossil energy

use and greenhouse gas emissions.

Participatory research, on-farm research and networks

A third essential element in the Dutch research approach is its strong cooperation with farmers.

There are several reasons for this cooperation. The first is that farmers (especially the pioneers in

organic farming) are considered important experts in this new farming approach. Their tacit

knowledge is considered to be equally important as more formal knowledge. Tacit knowledge (in

dealing with natural processes) comprises the farmer’s complete set of practical experiences with

the complex and local organic farming system. The confrontation between tacit and formal

knowledge often leads to valuable new insights. A second reason is that private commercial

farms provide excellent opportunities for on-farm experimental research.

The cooperation with organic farmers includes a great diversity of approaches. Forms of

cooperation range from research on a single commercial farm concerning an isolated factor in the

system (such as cultivar choice, fertilisation, weed control method etc), to complex innovations

where multiple farmers, various stakeholders and researchers work together. Research projects

often involve farmers and stakeholders in order to take advantage of the available expertise and

experience or to consult with them on challenges and possible solutions. This often forms the

basis for well-focused research efforts.

The network is a prevalent form of participation in Dutch organic farming research, where

researchers and farmers work together – sometimes with other stakeholders – on well-defined

challenges, such as antibiotic-free dairy production, soil fertility improvement, or developing

niche products. Bioconnect is the network organisation for the organic sector. In this network,

entrepreneurs in organic food and farming systematically par ticipate in research project teams.

This gives them the oppor tunity to take part in the governance of the projects.

Co-innovation is a specific type of participatory research. In co-innovation projects,

entrepreneurs from the organic food chain work together with research organisations to realise

new innovations.The entrepreneurs invest their own resources in these projects to match the

public funding from the research institutes.

In these projects, the role of the researcher is determined by what is needed in terms of content

and process. The researcher’s role therefore varies between expert, researcher and facilitator. The

role of facilitator includes bringing together the relevant partners and attending to their questions

and needs. It also means facilitating interaction and cooperation by creating the optimal

conditions necessary for a joint search for possible solutions to complex problems.

Special branches: organic greenhouse production, bulbs, ornamentals

and aquaculture

Organic production methods are gaining ground in Dutch specialised production branches.

Interest is growing among greenhouse horticulturalists and growers of flower bulbs, ornamentals

and mushrooms. In organic horticulture Dutch research is unique in the world in thinking up

innovative concepts and pioneering solutions.

Ultimately this will also inspire change in the conventional sector.

The Netherlands has a variety of specialised, capital-intensive branches of agricultural

production, which are characterised by high turnover and a strong focus on exports. Researchers

and farmers are exploring the opportunities for organic production in these branches. So far little

or no research has been conducted and in some cases organic standards are still to be developed.

Yet these branches do offer opportunities for organic production. Moreover, the alternative

approaches needed for the organic sector can inspire the conventional production to move

towards a more sustainable production.

Research programmes are linked as closely as possible to practical needs. “We work in close

cooperation with producers and chain par tners”, says Rob Meijer, coordinator for Covered

Organic Cultivation. Researchers work together with the organic sector on sustainable organic

farming systems that are economically viable.

Organic greenhouse horticulture

Growing market demands have stimulated an increase in organic production, especially of

greenhouse fruit vegetables and leafy vegetables. About 35 organic greenhouse vegetable farms

(25 of which have intensive heating systems) together cover an area of 85 hectares. “Each year

the number of organic farms increases”, says Meijer. “This steady growth takes place primarily

in greenhouse vegetables, such as cucumbers, tomatoes and sweet pepper. More than 80 per cent

of these vegetables are exported”.

Organic greenhouse cultivation has its own specific problems, such as high yield loss due to

diseases and plagues caused by intensive use of the soil. In open-field organic cultivation the soil

stays healthy thanks to a diverse crop rotation. “But greenhouses are far too expensive to leave

fallow or to produce crops with a low turnover”, says Meijer. “And crop rotation is not as easy.

Tomatoes and capsicum, for example, both belong to the Solanaceae family, and they therefore

contract pretty much the same soil-borne diseases, such as root-knot nematodes. And cucumbers

are not very far away in the family tree either.”

Conventional fruit vegetable growers begin each new crop on a clean substrate. But this is not

an option for organic growers, nor can the corresponding solutions using synthetic fertilisers be

applied in organic cultivation.

Meijer: “In spite of the compulsory crop rotation of 1 to 2, disease-causing nematodes and the

wilt disease Verticillium, sometimes increase dramatically. Due to disease and damage, the

yields after a few years will average no more than 70 per cent of the normal yield.”

Much research is therefore being conducted into the disease-resistant characteristics of soil life,

and the optimal application of organic fertilizer to feed soil life and stimulate antagonists.

In a project called ‘Biowisselkas’, researchers are experimenting with antagonistic crops,

alternative crops and fallow periods. This has led to the development of an interesting cultivation

system in which cucumber plants in the greenhouse are alternated with beds of Tagetes. We have

also thought about summer flowers as an antagonistic crop, but most fruit vegetable growers are

not very interested in cultivating cut flowers. Organic flower cultivation requires different know-

how and the distribution channels are not as well developed yet. It is difficult for organic flower

growers to stay on the market year-round using only natural cultivation techniques and no

assimilation lighting.”

The new ‘ Biovitaalkas’ project, aims to find precise and measurable criteria to define soil health

and resilience. Meijer: “Achieving soil resilience is the biggest challenge in organic greenhouse

horticulture.”Generous use of compost and other organic material to improve the soil in organic

cultivation can lead to excessive leaching of minerals. Research is therefore also focused on

creating a better mineral balance through ef ficient fer tilisation techniques or recycling nitrate.

Energy use in greenhouses is another issue that needs attention. Lower yields in organic

cultivation lead to higher energy use per ton of product compared to conventional cultivation.

Extra heat is also lost when the greenhouses are aerated in the mornings. Organic growers are

always concerned about condensation on their plants, which can lead to fungal diseases. Soil-

based organic cultivation also requires more energy than substrate cultivation because moisture

is lost from the soil when windows are opened to air out the greenhouses. Both organic and

conventional greenhouse growers strive to drastically reduce the energy use in their greenhouses.

The ultimate goal is to make greenhouse production climate neutral.

Research towards reducing the energy use in glasshouses for conventional and organic

agriculture is carried out jointly. Several innovations are already being used or tested in practice.

One example is using residual warmth and CO2 of the generators that produce electricity for the

greenhouse. Some greenhouse growers are also using waste materials for their heating. A new

development is to store the surplus of warmth in the summer in underground water layers.

During winter the warm water is pumped up and used for heating. Developments progress fast

and greenhouses have the potential to eventually become net producers of energy.

Organic production of ornamentals

There are about 50 organic ornamental tree growers in the Netherlands. “Together with

producers and potential institutional customers, we are looking at the marketing perspectives of

organic tree nursery products”, relates project leader Henk van Reuler. “This is the common

dilemma of which comes first, the chicken or the egg. As long as buyers are not aware of what is

available, where it can be found and when it can be supplied, demand will remain limited. And

this does not stimulate supply. Moreover, tree nursery products are attractive, regardless of

whether they are cultivated organically. They are not edible, so consumers will not specifically

request organic products for health reasons.”

In recent years research has been conducted into combining other crops with ornamental tree

cultivation. “Our research has led to interesting, practical recommendations and crop

combinations. In the cultivation of ornamental trees, for example, natural enemies can be

stimulated by a combination with the cultivation of perennial ornamental plants that attract

insects. Veronicas, for example attract hover flies, which feed on the larvae of aphids.”

Organic soil disinfection

“Weeds are a big problem in organic cultivation of ornamentals”, Van Reuler continues. “And

weed control is always very time-consuming. Organic growers of ornamental plants use

mechanical weed control methods and are experimenting with soil covers that are applicable in

organic cultivation. With mechanical weed control there is a big risk of damaging the crop,

which would result in an unmarketable product. We are looking into new mechanical techniques,

such as a guided hoe, in combination with torsion weeders. These techniques have already

proven their value in arable farming.”

Organic bulb and flower cultivation

The Netherlands is the world’s largest producer of flower bulbs, with a market share of about 70

per cent. Tulips, daffodils, lilies, crocuses, hyacinths, grape hyacinths, dahlias and other flowers

are grown on an area covering more than 22,000 hectares. The flower bulb branch is among the

most profitable Dutch agriculture. Currently only one per cent of this area is cultivated

organically.

The cultivation of flower bulbs and the production of cut flowers from bulbs are important

economic activities. Both in organic bulb and bulb flower production, researchers and farmers

have been working together to develop knowledge for a sustainable and economically viable

production. Research has helped to overcome important bottlenecks for organic production, such

as fertilisation and pest control.

The dry bulb mite, Aceria tulipae, is the most important pest in tulip crops. Without control

measures cropping of tulip bulbs in the Netherlands is impossible. Researchers have developed a

new treatment with a short ULO (Ultra Low Oxygen) treatment of flower bulbs in the storage

which is effective. However the treatment is quite expensive and hard to organise. Scientists and

farmers are still working hard to find a solution.

Flower bulbs are traditionally cultivated in a rather limited crop rotation, which leads to many

soil-borne diseases. The project ‘Topsoil+’, is directed toward developing new organic farming

systems in which flower bulbs, such as tulips, daffodils or hyacinths, are rotated in an extended

crop rotation supplemented with summer flowers, small ornamental shrubs and sometimes

alternated with green manure crops. Smaller varieties of the more expensive ornamental shrubs,

such as smoke trees (Cotinus), are of particular interest. Van Reuler: “The sand in the flower

bulb cultivating region is rather course, and can thus be flushed out pretty easily. This makes it

lucrative to export flower bulbs together with ornamental shrubs in one package to the United

States. For phytosanitary reasons, the United States does not accept import products containing

soil.”

In addition to creating a more varied crop rotation, the increased supply of organic matter also

helps suppress soil-borne diseases. Tests have demonstrated a clear effect of the previously

cultivated crop and the level of organic matter on the presence of root-knot Meloidogyne hapla,

which is a problem for many perennials. This effect has been supported by field data. Says Van

Reuler: “Apparently the soil’s resilience is enhanced by a richer soil life, which is stimulated by

a bigger supply of organic matter. This knowledge could be of interest to conventional growers

as well”.

Another developing branch is the organic cultivation of cut flowers. These are produced in the

greenhouse, in open cultivations and as flowers from flower bulbs. Sunflower is an important

product for the summer season. The main challenge in this sector is to solve the problems with

downy mildew. There is a demand for cut flowers all year round, not just for sunflowers in

summer.

Therefore, research is searching for a wider range of species and varieties that can be produced

organically in the greenhouse.

Organic aquaculture

In recent years there has been a growing interest in the socially and ecologically responsible

production of fish. Animal welfare and sustainability are key considerations. Certain cultivated

fish species can help lower the pressure on over fished wild populations. With plant-eating fish

species like tilapia, for example, farmers can avoid the use of high amounts of fishmeal in feed,

for which other fish would have to be caught. The development of organic fish production can

help to improve welfare and sustainability aspects of fish farming.

Currently there are no certified organic fish farmers active in the Netherlands, but interesting

innovative concepts are being developed. “The Netherlands is an important global player in the

use of recirculation systems to raise fish and shrimp”, explains researcher Marnix Poelman of

IMARES of Wageningen UR in Yerseke. “This system does not use a continuous stream of

water: almost all the water is recycled in large breeding tanks. It is purified through filters and

other technical means. The Netherlands would like to obtain an organic certification for these

recirculation systems.” The Dutch firm AgroEco is leading these efforts.

In a conventional fish production system the objective is to increase production. In an organic

fish production the idea is to create conditions in which the fish can behave as naturally as

possible, even if this reduces production capacity. “If a fish grows normally, is not sick, eats well

and is not damaged, we generally assume that it feels good”, says Poelman. “But these are

definitely not the best parameters for animal welfare. That’s why we are working on new

methods to more accurately measure stress levels and welfare in fish.”

Throughout the world there are various certifications for organically grown fish, but these pertain

to pond systems or net cultures in open water: the cage constructions that can be found along the

Canadian and Norwegian coasts, among other places. Poelman: “A European organic label for

fish production is currently being developed. This label sets a number of requirements for

aquaculture products such as the maximum fish density in the system, the allowable percentage

of vegetable matter in fish feed, and various environmental demands. Poelman and his

colleagues are evaluating these regulations and are drawing up welfare criteria for organically

raised fish. The IMARES expertise is used to contribute to the discussions in Brussels.

At this moment the focus is on common cultivated fish species, such as tilapia and catfish. But

shrimp could also be produced organically in the Netherlands. Furthermore, IMARES started a

feasibility study for the organic production of mussels. In this case the focus is on ecological

aspects and water quality. “We have great expectations”, says Marnix Poelman. “With mussels

very little input is needed: it is almost organic to begin with. The only aspects that need to be

optimised are the collection of mussel seed and the processing requirements.

Organic wine from the Netherlands

Dutch wine tastes pretty good. On a scale of 5 points, consumers awarded the wine an average

of 3.4. According to market researcher Dr Frans Verhees from Wageningen UR, the taste will

still have to improve if winemakers want to move into new markets. “In the gift market,

customers are willing to pay the higher price because of the story behind the wine, but serious

wine buyers are looking for quality.”

Thanks to the emergence of new mildew-resistant and early-ripening varieties, organic wine

production in the Netherlands is growing. With increasing production, marketing has become an

important issue.

Therefore a survey was carried out among wine buyers, at the initiative of the association of

winemakers in Groesbeek and the Wijnbouwcentrum Nederland.

It turns out that only two per cent of Dutch consumers prefer to buy wine produced in their own

country.

To improve the image of locally produced wines, courses, wine certifications and the

introduction of a quality label could help.

A better image could stimulate the production of quality Dutch wines. It would not be advisable

to try and compete on price with the common wine-producing countries. Verhees: “Cost prices

are relatively high here, so the market for Dutch wine will always remain a niche market.”

Economy, market and chain

In their pursuit of growth and professionalisation, the Dutch organic sector focuses primarily on

market development. But how do you stimulate the market for organic foods? This is the subject

of many research projects concerning market, consumer preferences and the supply chain. These

projects focus specifically at consumer purchasing behaviour, product development, supply chain

formation and minimising cost price. As a rule, this research takes place in close cooperation

with chain actors.

Two to three per cent of households in the Netherlands buy organic products on a regular basis.

Thanks to research, the purchasing behaviour and motives of these so-called ‘heavy users’ are

understood quite well. ‘Heavy users’ primarily buy organic products because they value animal-

and environment-friendly production. In terms of increasing market share, however, it is

especially interesting to look at the large group of ‘light users’. This heterogenous group has

different perspectives than ‘heavy users’ and thus other purchasing motives. Light users offer

great expansion possibilities for the organic market.

Minimising the price difference between organic and conventional foods is often seen as key to

getting light users to purchase organic products more often. However, a large-scale price

experiment showed that a price reduction alone would not suffice to substantially increase the

market share of organic.

“Thanks to the price experiment, we are now sure that other marketing instruments are needed

as well”, explains Marieke Meeusen, coordinator of the market and economic research. “It’s all

about the right mix of the four Ps: price, product, promotion and place (distribution and

availability). We are now focusing much of our research on these four Ps.”

Selling price versus cost price

If sales are to be increased by offering attractively priced products in the supermarkets, the cost

price will have to be kept low. Keeping a careful eye on the cost price is essential in any case, to

ensure that organic producers receive fair pay for their labour (fair trade). This is particularly

important to the animal husbandry sector with its relatively high production costs and low

number of parties in the market. Organic producer associations in the dairy, meat and eggs

industries negotiate with suppliers yearly. Cost price calculations are essential to the

associations: they provide them with a good negotiating position and result in better contracts.

For the past eight years, economic researchers have been calculating the cost price of pigs and

piglets. An independent committee uses this calculated cost price to set the recommended price

for supplied pigs. These calculations also contribute to the expansion of the organic pig sector.

Substantial investments are required when expanding or conver ting to organic production

(different housing system, decreased production). Therefore, only attractive profits will entice

conventional pig farmers to alter their production methods and stimulate current organic

producers to expand.

Currently, prices and profits in the poultry sector are also being researched. The project looks at

the entire poultry chain: from poultry farm through packing station and retail store. This research

is initiated by the organic poultry farmers, who believe that the profits in their sector are not

distributed evenly.

Opportunities to reduce cost price

Cost price calculations for the animal sector show that the cost price for animal feed has

increased sharply in recent years. The upcoming requirement that organic animals be given only

100 per cent organic feed, will probably push this cost up even further.

Cost reduction is therefore a serious issue in organic production chains. Two research projects

are looking into ways to decrease costs. One project studies the way in which scale influences

cost price. Would an increase in scale actually decrease the cost price, as is often assumed? And

how do entrepreneurs interpret such data? A second project looks at the social impact of

production on a larger scale. How do consumers value this development and what do the

entrepreneurs themselves think? Does large-scale production fit the famers’ vision of organic

agriculture and does it agree with their working practices?

In plant production, reduction of the cost price could primarily be realised through a better

control of pests, weeds and diseases. Production costs in organic plant production are strongly

influenced by yield losses caused by pests and diseases. Additional labour required for manual

weeding is also very expensive. In the Netherlands, research focuses mainly on prevention and

control of weeds, pests and diseases.

The second ‘P’: Product

Looking at the P for product, the focus tends to be on intrinsic qualities such as taste,

convenience and shelf-life. Healthfulness is another important quality. But do consumers really

associate organic mayonnaise, for example, with healthfulness? How should such a product be

promoted? When the reasons behind product choices of individual groups of people are known,

targeted promotional campaigns can be created that are geared to the specific perceptions of each

group. Dutch research is trying to find answers to these questions to support the market

development for organic products.

Increasing importance of promotion

When promoting an organic product, attention could be paid to an appealing product

characterisation, to the layout of the shelves and to the product appearance. Eye-catching floor

stickers or hanging signs have proven to be effective in directing consumers’ attention – to

organic meat for example – and in stimulating purchases. The more extensive and visible the

promotional materials were, the larger their effect. The signs do not have to contain a lot of

information. On the contrary, according to Meeusen. “Consumers are often in a hurry, so they

are more interested in simple directions on how to find something than in lots of information.”

Increasing attention is given to the packaging of organic products. Natural food stores prefer as

little packaging as possible, but supermarkets want detailed packaging that effecively

distinguishes organic foods from conventional products. Supermarkets also want to stand out by

using biodegradable packaging. One disadvantage of this type of packaging is that it is 15 to 200

per cent more expensive. For some producers this is a reason to not choose biodegradable

materials (yet).

The organic product is already more expensive than the conventional one and additional

expenses for packaging would make it too expensive to sell. However, environment-friendly

packaging may also create an additional incentive to buy the product. There is no hard evidence

for this effect, but research has shown that consumers definitely favour biodegradable packaging.

Unfortunately, few are familiar with the labels for this type of packaging.

“Packaging certainly plays a role in sales. Research into this effect has only just started,” says

researcher Ulphard Thoden van Velzen. A superabundant package design is probably preferable

for light users, whereas heavy users would respond better to a more unruffled design. Thoden

van Velzen believes it is a positive development that companies are starting to experiment with

packaging. “Many producers still don’t even think about the best way to sell their product. The

rising attention to packaging is therefore a good sign.” Currently, the researcher works together

with the industry on various new types of packaging for meat and cheese.

Increasing product availability

The last ‘P’ refers to product availabity. Consumers have to be able to continuously find organic

food in their neighbourhood. The demand for organic products has been growing steadily during

the last decades. The production volume, however, did not increase in the last five years.

Demand and supply are badly balanced, which causes considerable fluctuations in price and

availability. There is a pressing need for new organic producers, but only a few farmers actually

convert to organic production each year.

An evaluation amongst stakeholders, organic and conventional farmers provided insight in the

causes of this insufficient growth of production. The pioneer farmers who were the first to

believe in organic agriculture, made the transition years ago. The group that’s next in line is

often referred to as ‘early adopters’. These farmers have other motives besides idealistic ones for

converting to organic farming: economic motives, for instance. Another problem is that many

conventional farmers do not have a realistic concept of organic agriculture. This makes it

important to increase conventional farmers’ knowledge about organic production. “We need to

create a breeding ground for young agricultural entrepreneurs who see organic production as a

serious business strategy”, says Wijnand Sukkel. He investigated the reasons behind the recent

lack of growth of organic production. Sukkel: “If they eventually do decide to make the switch,

this decision will be based primarily on good market prospects for organic products.” Realising

expansion is primarily the organic sector’s own responsibility. “Chain actors in the dairy and

meat industries can use their close contacts with conventional farmers to inform and interest

them. They are able to offer a secure market for the farmers’ products, ensure balanced growth

and purchase the products during the conversion period.”

Introduction of new products

In addition to maintaining a sufficient supply to the supermarkets, it is also important to

introduce new products with which the organic sector can distinguish itself. One way to speed up

the introduction of new organic products in the supermarkets is through company restaurants,

explains Marieke Meeusen. Research has already shown that company restaurants are a good

place to try out new products. If people like a product, they will look for it in the supermarket.

Many freshly squeezed fruit juices, fruit salads and sushi products have already found their way

to the supermarket through this catering channel. Consumers can thus help to stimulate the

introduction of new products in the retail channels.

Establishing and strengthening marketing chains

Actual strengthening and professionalisation of the market for organic products will require

coordinated and innovative efforts. These efforts should involve everyone in the chain: from

producers all the way to the supermarket. Companies and research institutes work in joint

projects on the development and marketing of organic products. The industry initiates these

studies and helps to finance them. “We think that when companies have an interest in a product,

they will work hard to make it a success”, explains research coordinator Willie van den Broek.

Chain research is by definition multidisciplinary. Companies and research institutes innovate

together. Researchers not only do research, but they also play a role as project directors and

managers. If necessary, they receive intensive training and coaching to build up the expertise and

skills required for their new roles.

Wine cheese and hypoallergenic apples

So far, sixteen chain projects have been carried out. Some focused on the development of new

products (such as wine cheese and wild cucumbers), others on new concepts (including better

positioning of products on the market). There were projects aimed at introducing a product to

new target groups (organic wine to restaurants and gift basket companies, organic milkshakes

for students), and some centred on adding value (organic vegetable juice made of by-products).

Also, the marketing of products with a special quality or health aspect was researched

(hypoallergenic apples, gluten-free foods based on quinoa and amaranth and health-promoting

cranberries).

In a short time new products were developed, strong chains emerged and new markets were

created. This included using by-products from the organic processing industry to make organic

vegetable juice and the introduction of the wild cucumber.

In some cases it takes more time to build a solid supply chain for a new product. An example is

the production of Dutch cranberries. Until now, cranberries have only been collected on the

Wadden islands of the Netherlands. Most cranberries are imported from other countries.

Consumer research provided insight in the type of cranberry products that interest consumers

and suggestions on how these products could be marketed. Colour, taste, size, firmness and

perishability turned out to be most important. As the cultivation method was relatively unknown

to Dutch growers, a cultivation guide was prepared for them.

After market perspectives and cultivation possibilities were clear, a number of chain actors

signed a declaration of intent to work together on building a chain for organic cranberries in the

Netherlands.

Creating the right image

Once a target group for an innovative product has been selected, the next question is how to

bring the organic product to their attention. A milk factory, a caterer, two machine manufacturers

and researchers are looking into this at two schools of professional education. The researchers

are looking for ways to stimulate the students to buy organic dairy products. They are working

with milkshakes (a new product) and yoghurt drinks (an existing product). What will the cups,

vending machines and refrigerators have to look like in order to attract the students? This was

investigated by using a number of image designs. Students responded least to a green, natural

and old-fashioned image. A McDonald’s type image and a modern, hi-tech image both worked

much better. For both the milkshake and the yoghurt drink these two images were combined to

create a design and slogan for the vending machines and cups.

Wild cucumber - a big success

Tomatoes are available in various colours and sizes. Consumers can choose from a wide

selection of varieties including vine-ripened, cherry and plum tomatoes. This is not the case with

cucumbers. Up to now, a cucumber has always been just a cucumber. But this is about to change.

A tasteful old cucumber variety that has a dark-green colour, a rough peel and prickles, has been

reintroduced specifically for the organic market. It is called the wild cucumber. Aside from

having a distinguishing colour and appearance, this product reminds consumers of ‘the old days’.

This cucumber was developed together with the spring cucumber as part of a collaborative effort

between Wageningen UR, the Centre for Genetic Resources Netherlands (CGN), a breeding

company, a grower and a trade company in organic vegetables. CGN selected primitive

cucumber varieties. The grower looked at production and product qualities.

A retail study in German stores investigated consumers’ response to the cucumbers and listed

what characteristics they found important. Consumers appeared to prefer the most natural

packaging design using only a banderole (no plastic, no glue, little refuse). During the Fruit

Logistica trade show 2008 in Berlin, the chain that introduced this cucumber to the market was

runner-up for the Innovation Award. The wild cucumber is being introduced in stores in the

Netherlands and Great Britain.

Agromere, agriculture in a new suburb

Research into urban farming in the Netherlands evolves around the projects ‘Agromere’ and

‘Tomorrow’s taste’.

In Agromere scientists are attempting, together with stakeholders, to develop concepts for urban

farming to be implemented in future urban extensions of the city of Almere. Many stakeholders

in Almere are enthusiastic about urban farming. Together, scientists, farmers, landscape

architects, project developers and town and country planners are preparing the conditions and

requirements for urban agriculture.

The issues encountered by the stakeholders of the Agromere project are serving as input for the

‘Tomorrow’s taste’project. Urban farming should focus on growing crops that give city dwellers

something ‘extra’. Examples are colourful crops like tulips, or crops people may taste or pick

themselves, such as strawberries.

One of the issues that are yet to be resolved, is how farmers can make the landscape attractive to

the general public. In a pilot project, scientists designed a ‘Mondriaan field’ with crops of

different colours and shapes. GPS-techniques were used to enable easy sowing and harvesting of

these fields.

Urban agriculture

The most important contributions made by farms in urban environments are the various linkages

and experiences they provide for urban citizens. This form of agriculture can be found only

sporadically in the Netherlands, but scientists believe it could be applied much more frequently

in the extension of urban areas. The concept needs further elaboration, but it is already evident

that organic agriculture is the most suitable form of urban farming. Agricultural activities that

take place in the middle of housing developments should not involve the use of chemicals. Farms

should also offer services and activities to people living in the neighbourhood. This not only

legitimises the use of valuable land for urban agriculture (rather than for commercial or

residential buildings), it is also the only way to run an economically viable farm.

Agriculture, nature and food quality in 2010

The 2011 budget focuses on sustainability and innovation. The government also intends, in

advance of the reform of the European agricultural policy, to reward farmers for their efforts in

areas including landscape maintenance, animal health, animal welfare, and environmental and

water management. In 2011, funds of 22 million euros have been made available for the

promotion of animal and environmentally-friendly stalls and support for extensive weather

insurance. The objective of these measures is to enhance the farmers’ economic resilience.

Farmers in areas of great landscape value and/or large areas of water will also be provided an

additional premium. The mid term review of the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has

also made an additional amount of 145 million euros available for rural policy in the years from

2010 to 2013. The Netherlands intends to allocate these funds to rewards for farmers who

implement specific measures in field boundary management, improvements to water and

environmental quality, the reduction of environmental losses, innovation and generation of

sustainable energy on their farms. The great interest in the support scheme for young farmers

exhibited in 2010 resulted in the decision to increase the budget in 2011. This subsidy scheme,

which was introduced several years ago and is financed by the national government and the

provinces, provides assistance to young farmers who wish to modernise their farm but encounter

difficulties due to the high costs they incurred in taking over the farm.

Structure of the primary agriculture and horticulture sector

Number of holdings and employees

The number of agricultural and horticultural holdings declined by one-quarter during the past ten

years, from about 97,000 to 72,000. The rate of the decline increased with the sector’s intensity

of operations and independence from soil cultivation: for example, the number of greenhouse

horticultural holdings was halved, whilst the reduction in the number of arable farms was limited

to one-fifth. During this same period the number of combined holdings also fell by half, an

indication that the trend towards segregation and specialisation is still continuing.

During the past year the decline in the total number of agricultural and horticultural holdings was

limited to 1%, as compared to an average 3% annual decline in the years between 2000 and

2010. This would appear to confirm that the credit crisis and the associated deterioration of the

economy can result in a slight slowdown in the decrease in the number of holdings.

The number of greenhouse horticultural holdings once again fell sharply during the past year, in

part due to the poor operating results in recent years and the trough in 2009. This has not yet

resulted in a large number of bankruptcies. Forced closures due to bankruptcy remain a marginal

phenomenon in the agricultural and horticultural sector.

However, in relative terms the number of bankruptcies has increased sharply from an average of

less than 50 a year in the period between 2000 and 2008 to more than 90 a year in the past two

years. The peak was in the second half of 2009 and the first quarter of 2010.

Organic farming

Organic farming has increased gradually in the Netherlands in recent years: the area increased by

4% to 54,000 hectares in 2010, close to the government’s target of an annual growth of 5% to

result in an area of 57,000 hectares in 2011. On balance, the number of certified holdings

increased by about 50 (3.5%) to 1,462, i.e. 90 holdings that commenced and 40 holdings that

terminated organic farming. Interest in organic farming could increase further in the coming

years following the sharp increase in sales of organic produce.

Labour

The number of jobs provided by the primary agricultural and horticultural sector, expressed in

terms of employees working on a regular basis, has declined by one-quarter since the turn of the

century from 281,000 to the current 212,000. During this same period, on balance the decline in

the number of family workers was in proportion to the number of permanent employees, as a

result of which the latter group’s share of the total number of employees working on a regular

basis has remained unchanged at 30%. The number of permanent employees fell particularly

sharply in the past two years, after a growth in a number of years, by about 12,000 employees (-

17%) to 60,000.

This decline has in part been compensated by an increase in flexible labour.

The horticultural sector, in particular, calls in temporary employees to assist family members and

permanent employees. These temporary employees include students, housewives and workers

from Central and Eastern Europe. These temporary employees can be employed by the holding

or contracted from third parties, usually temporary employment agencies. Estimates indicate that

the country’s horticultural holdings employed about 39,000 temporary employees in 2010, and

that they contracted approximately 34,000 employees in October/November 2010. The figure for

this last group is a snapshot, since the number fluctuates greatly during the year due to the

seasonal nature of the work.

Land

In 2010, the National Service for the Implementation of Regulations modified the plot register –

maps showing the land used to cultivate crops – to comply with the European regulations.

Henceforth these maps will record the cultivatable area rather than the former gross area. As a

result, ditches, wooded banks and rows of trees are no longer included. The substantial decline in

the area of cultivated land in the past year, a fall of 45,000 hectares (-2.3%), is virtually entirely

due to the change in the method used to keep the records.

Prior to this change in the records the area of cultivated land had decreased by an average of

6,500 hectares per annum (-0.3% per annum) in the years between 2000 and 2009. The majority

of this decline was in the area allocated to arable farming: conversely, the area allocated to green

fodder crops (virtually entirely green maize) and open-field cultivation increased. 53% of the

total of almost 1.9 million hectares of cultivated land is now in use as grassland (permanent,

temporary and natural grassland), 13% for green fodder crops, 29% for other arable land, 5% for

open-field horticulture and 0.5% for greenhouse horticulture. This breakdown differs little from

that in 2000.

Following three years in which the price of agricultural land increased sharply the price

remained roughly unchanged in 2010, at 47,000 euros per hectare. It is expected that the fall, in

particular, public demand for agricultural land will impose pressure on the price of agricultural

land in the coming years. The recent rapid increase in the price of land is primarily due to the

plans for the abolition of the milk quotas in 2015. In the years since 2006, when it became clear

that this abolition would actually take place, the price of the milk quota – the right to produce

milk – has halved. The margin on an extra litre of milk hidden in the production right has since

shifted to the scarcest means of production, land.

Development in number of animals and animal welfare

The total number of beef cattle remained virtually unchanged in the past year, after two years in

which the number had increased by a total of 5% due to the widening of the milk quotas. The

rapid decline in the number of pigs and chickens between 2001 and 2003 due to two buy-up

schemes (Regeling beëindiging veehouderijtakken, Termination of Livestock Farm Branches

Scheme) and the outbreak of avian flu has been followed by a recovery. The outbreak of Q fever

and the following killing of goats resulted in an almost 6% decrease in the number of goats

between May 2009 and May 2010.

Pasture grazing in the dairy farming sector

Pasture grazing assumes a prominent position in discussions on animal welfare in the dairy

farming sector. Pasture grazing offers dairy cattle the greatest opportunity to exhibit their

characteristic behaviour. Pasture grazing is also beneficial to the appeal of the landscape,

ammonia emissions and, last but least, the image of the dairy farming sector. However, in

practice the number of dairy cattle kept permanently in cowsheds is increasing at the expense of

unlimited pasture grazing. In 2009, some 28% of cows were kept in the cowsheds throughout the

year, slightly higher than the percentage of cows offered unlimited pasture grazing (27%). Larger

dairy farms make less use of pasture grazing than smaller farms, in part due to restricted farm

plots. Larger farms also have a larger number of cows per hectare: keeping their cows in the

cowsheds enables them to optimise their feed and mineral management.

Importance of an animal-friendly cowshed

In addition to pasture grazing, an appropriately layout of the cowshed is of essential importance

to animal welfare since the cows do not leave the cowshed throughout the long winter months.

However, many cubicle cowsheds do not have an optimum layout from an animal welfare

perspective: the hard and slippery floors result in a large number of hoof and movement

problems. The cowsheds often suffer from a lack of space and the cubicles are too confined.

Larger farms make less use of pasture grazing but are often equipped with more modern and

animal-friendly cowsheds.

One of the most important spearheads of Dutch animal welfare policy is the development of

new, integral and sustainable stall systems. This relates to ‘stalls and livestock systems that

achieve additional improvements in animal welfare by the implementation of measures that go

further than the statutory welfare standards, which also comply with at least other social

preconditions and statutory requirements governing the environment, animal health and working

conditions and are economically feasible’. At the end of 2011, 5% of the livestock sector’s stalls

must be integral sustainable stalls. On 1 January 2011, this was applicable to 2.3% of the stalls in

the dairy farming sector, the lowest score of all sectors. The average for the entire livestock

sector was 3.4%, with peaks of 5.1% in the pig-farming sector to 8.6% in the poultry farming

sector.

Production and income development

Production and income development in the agricultural and horticultural sector

The primary Dutch agriculture and horticulture sector’s gross production value of 24.5 billion

euros in 2010 was almost 10% higher than in 2009. This increase is primarily due to increased

prices, the production volume rose by 1%, in particular as a result of the growth in the

production of the horticultural and cattle farming sectors.

The horticultural sector, with an almost 40% share of the production value, is the largest

segment in the total agricultural and horticultural sector. The share of the livestock farming

sector, comprised of the intensive and pasture-based livestock farming segments, was virtually

the same in 2010. The share of the arable farming sector increased to almost 3 billion euros,

virtually the same as that of the “Other agriculture” sector that is primarily comprised of

agricultural contractor companies.

The cost of purchases of goods and services increased less than the increase in production value

in 2010, since the price increase in the means of production (2%) was less than that of

agricultural produce. This was in part due to the relatively large proportion of goods and services

with prices that follow inflation. The price of mixed feeds, one of the purchased goods that does

exhibit a pronounced annual fluctuation in prices, increased by about 5%. The increase in the

price of forage was considerably in excess of 5%, as a result of which the cost of purchased feed

increased by almost 10%. The 2010 energy prices were below the levels in 2009, although there

are major differences between holdings.

The gross added value increased by almost one-quarter. Since the depreciation charges

remained unchanged and the factor costs (wages, interest charges and leases) decreased slightly

the remaining income amounted to almost three billion euros in 2010, significantly higher than

the average in the past ten years and an evident improvement after two years in which the

income in the entire agricultural sector was just above one billion euros.

The results of the average agricultural and horticultural holding

The operating income from the average agricultural and horticultural holding fell to a trough in

2009, as viewed from the turn of the century. The low level of incomes in 2009 was primarily

due to the low yield prices of many important products. The deterioration of incomes in the

agricultural and horticultural sector in 2008 and, in particular, in 2009, demonstrates that the

agricultural sector is also sensitive to the general condition of the economy. The global credit

crisis had an evident detrimental effect on sales and, in particular, exports of agricultural

produce: the Dutch agricultural and horticultural sector is especially dependent on exports.

The level of income forecast for 2010 indicates a significant recover as compared to 2009. The

prices of a number of important agricultural and horticultural products have increased

significantly, by an amount in excess of the increase in production costs. The pig and poultry

farming sectors are the sole exceptions to the general trend. However, the recovery of incomes

in 2010 is of a level such that the average agricultural and horticultural holding has attained a

fairly high income that falls only just short of the favourable results recorded in 2006 and 2007,

the best years to date after the turn of the century.

The operating income is largely determined by the revenue from agricultural and horticultural

produce and the costs incurred in their production. Some of the income also derives from the

proceeds from the broadening of the operations and subsidies received by the holdings. The

majority of the subsidies originate from the European farm payments. The percentage

contribution these other sources of income make in years with poor operating results, such as in

2009, is slightly higher than in better years such as 2010.

The agricultural and horticultural sector exhibits a wide variation in each year’s operating

income, in part due to differences in the size and structure of the holdings. The income of the

large holdings, in particular, can fluctuate greatly from year to year. The income margin, the

difference between revenue and costs as a percentage of revenue, of these holdings is in general

much lower than that of the smaller holdings that deploy their own labour and capital.

European farm payments are of great importance to incomes

The European farm payments are an important element of the operating income of many holdings. On average these payments, together with other subsidies, accounted for almost half of the income of agricultural and horticultural holdings in 2008. The contribution increased further in 2009, due to the decline in operating income, to more than 120%. In other words, without the payments and subsidies – which amount to an average of 5% of revenue or 19,000 euros per holding – the average operating income would have been in the red in 2009.

The extent to which the operating income is dependent on payments and subsidies varies

greatly between holdings. The operating income of holdings that received more than 10,000

euros in the form of payments and subsidies in 2009, more than half of all holdings, would have

been significantly in the red in that year in the absence of the payments and subsidies. The

revenue of the group of holdings that receive more than 50,000 euros in the form of payments

and subsidies is about double that of the average holding. Nevertheless, on average the income of

this group is lower than that of the other groups. The payments and subsidies received by this

group of holdings exceed their operating income by a factor of more than eight.

The majority of the large holdings (as determined in terms of the standard output, the groups

from 500,000 euros upwards) do not receive any subsidies or farm payments.

This is because the large majority of the biggest holdings are horticultural holdings (green house

horticulture and open-field horticulture) or intensive livestock farms (pigs and poultry). The

majority of the farm payments are received by dairy farms and other grazing animal farms,

arable farms and combined arable/livestock farms. More than half the holdings that receive more

than 10,000 euros are dairy farms and a further approximately 20% are arable farms.

Balance sheet development and financing of the largest holdings

The balance sheet total of the 25% largest agricultural and horticultural holdings increased by an

average of 43% between 2004 and 2009, to 3.8 million euros. For the purposes of a comparison

the balance sheet total of the average agricultural and horticultural holding amounted to 2.5

million at the end of 2009. The balance sheet total of the largest holdings, 5.8 million euros, is

the highest in the greenhouse horticultural sector. This sector has also exhibited the greatest

increase in balance sheet total during the past five years, largely due to the increases in scale.

The 25% largest holdings received more financing in 2009 as compared to 2004, which is

reflected in the movement in the solvency ratio and the ratio of equity to total capital. The

solvency ratio of all sectors other than the arable farming sector declined sharply. The equity of

the largest arable holdings has increased by 1 million euros during the past five years due to the

increase in the value of assets, primarily land, and the formation of reserves (savings) that were

made feasible by the reasonable operating results. The growth in the equity of holdings in the

other sectors was limited to several hundreds of thousand euros. The decline in the value of the

milk quotas in the years since 2006 plays a major role in the dairy farming sector. Nevertheless,

the solvency ratio of 63% remains at a reasonably high level.

The contribution land makes to the balance sheet total is smaller in the pig farming and

greenhouse horticultural sectors than in the arable farming and dairy farming sectors, as a result

of which the contribution the increase in the value of land makes to their equity is smaller. The

equity of holdings in these sectors is greatly dependent on the operating results. The poor

operating results of the past few years prevented these holdings from forming reserves. The

outstanding amounts of long-term loans to holdings in the pig farming and greenhouse

horticultural sectors have increased by more than 700,000 and two million euros respectively in

the past five years. As a result, the solvency ratio of holdings in the pig farming sector has fallen

by 10 percentage points to an average of 45%. No improvement in income was recorded in 2010,

and the prospects for 2011 are not favourable. In view of the investments that will need to be

made in the coming years to comply with the future welfare requirements it is clear that the

holdings’ average equity is too restricted.

The fall in incomes in the greenhouse horticultural sector to a dramatically low level in 2009

has resulted in the deterioration of the holdings’ financial strength: their average solvency ratio

had declined to just 28% at the beginning of 2010. This in turn makes these large holdings

vulnerable in the coming years, since their ability to absorb fluctuations in the operating results

has been greatly reduced. The banks have adopted a solvency ratio of at least 25% as a criterion

for their assessment of new applications for loans for expansion or other investments.

Transfer of large holdings

Larger agricultural and horticultural holdings more often have a successor than the smaller

holdings. The major impediment to the transfer of large holdings is their high value as compared

to the returns. The agricultural and horticultural sector’s return on assets is low due to the low

operating income as compared to the locked-up capital. As a result, the price for the takeover of

the holding exceeds the return on investment to an extent that prevents the successor from

generating sufficient income in the future.

The successor’s takeover of the holding then offers prospects solely when the holding is taken

over for an amount far below the market value – which is then to the detriment of the capital the

parents have accrued for their pensions. ‘Gifts’ to successors are becoming less self-explanatory

due to the increasingly business-mindedness of family members, certainly when large sums are

involved.

In view of the large amounts involved in takeovers, this then gives rise to the question as to

how potential successors can accrue sufficient capital and loans to take over a modern large

holding. Entrepreneurs will need to give consideration to the manner in which they can increase

the operating return to the level needed to finance the transfer of the holding. These

considerations should also extend to a search for new solutions in the form of steps in financial

development that render the takeover of holdings of this size a feasible proposition. To what

extent could parties other than banks and family members, such as links in the chain, the

government and venture capital companies, be involved in the financing? To date the venture

capital companies have shown little willingness to make capital available to agricultural and

horticultural holdings.

Bibliografie:

Hommes M., “Research on organic agriculture in the Netherlands.Organisation,

methodology and results”, Wageningen UR and Louis Bolk Institute

Berkhout P., C. van Bruchem, “Agricultural Economic Report 2011 Of The Netherlands:

Sumarry”, The Hague, Agricultural Economics Research Institute (LEI), 2011

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