The fact that Dutch horticulture continues to innovate and lead the way technologically is largely due to cooperation between growers and technology suppliers. They are convinced of that at the AVAG, the association of the Dutch greenhouse construction and technology. Over the past decade, GreenTech has grown into a platform that promotes this cooperation. Last month, it was decided that the cooperation between the two parties should be extended and intensified for six years. Annie van de Riet (AVAG), Mariska Dreschler (GreenTech), Ton van Mil (Royal Brinkman and AVAG board), and Annette Bos (RAI Amsterdam) explain the challenges the sector faces and why cooperation is key to addressing them.
Wooden greenhouses
When the AVAG was founded in 1963, part of the Dutch horticultural area still consisted of wooden greenhouses heated with gas or oil heaters. The first heating pipes had not yet been installed, and windows were closed manually, as was irrigation. Flowers, vegetables, and fruits were grown in the greenhouses. Peppers were hardly present, as they had only just arrived. The association was founded by Dutch suppliers who were active for Dutch growers. Over 60 years later, the sector has changed, economies of scale, internationalization, digitalization, and robotization are just a few terms that signify this change.
But those Dutch horticultural suppliers continue to do well. "The Netherlands does very well when it comes to horticultural technology: 80 percent of glasshouse projects around the world involve Dutch parties, according to market research," says AVAG president Annie van de Riet. For those Dutch parties, foreign countries are therefore also hugely important: most of the turnover of Dutch suppliers is realized outside the Dutch border. Moreover, given the growing world population and taking into account challenges such as climate change and the energy transition, she sees opportunities for further growth. "Whether producing healthy food or realizing a greener living environment, intensive horticulture is needed. And the Netherlands provides that technology."
GreenTech has become an important platform for the sector both in the Netherlands and abroad over the past decade. "If you want to see the latest developments and meet everyone from the industry, you come to Amsterdam for the global overview and to Mexico for the (Latin) American market. At GreenTech, current knowledge and innovation are shared and then further developed every year. This involves both the relationship with visitors and growers and the mutual relationship between horticultural companies. The knowledge and innovation programs highlight what is new and what you need to know at the time. They look at different levels of crop optimization," says Mariska Dreschler, director of Horticulture - GreenTech Global at RAI Amsterdam.
"You want to know what is going on with growers," says Ton van Mil, CEO of Royal Brinkman and member of the AVAG board. "The importance of GreenTech is that once a year you get an up-to-date overview of how the world is going, both as a grower and as a supplier. "Where is the world going, and how can we take a role in it?"
No matter how the sector develops, the importance of cooperation remains unchanged. "The great thing about the Dutch horticultural suppliers is that within the sector you find companies that are not only leading in their field but also operate globally. Because every region requires a unique approach, there is continuous innovation," Annie explains. "But you can't do that alone." As an example, Ton outlines the developments around crop protection, where the resource package will only become more limited in the coming years. "That means more focus on a resilient crop. Where we focus on crop and fertilization, other parties are climate experts. This expertise should be made available and linked so that the grower can approach all facets. As a company, you have to stop thinking in partial areas and see the whole."
This is why he is also happy with an association like AVAG and a platform like GreenTech: it offers the opportunities to get up-to-date, to hear what challenges growers are facing, and to see if there are other parties that can contribute to the grower's solution. And these can also be international parties, he confirms when asked. "You want to have the whole world of providers together to be able to strengthen each other," he says.
Cooperation unique for horticulture
This cooperation is unique for horticulture, observes Annette Bos. As director of Markets from RAI, she sees various sectors and finds that there is almost nowhere as much mutual reinforcement as here. "The Netherlands is a small country, but the cooperation makes us powerful. The AVAG and GreenTech contribute to that. If you connect parties and jointly enter that international playing field, you can make powerful steps forward." She continues that in sectors where there are more divisions, it proves difficult to maintain and generate impact. "Even if you are technologically good. By joining hands, you can make bigger steps. By doing so, we create a lot of impact and help in the sustainable transition."
Nevertheless, with globalization and the internationalization of horticulture, the Netherlands has long since ceased to be the only country that can put up a fine greenhouse or technology. A collaborative platform like GreenTech also means the presence of competitors. "Either it contributes to the solution for the grower, or it keeps us on our toes to do things better," thinks Ton. "As Dutch suppliers, we have the name and can do a lot, but that does not mean we are done. We have to keep developing to maintain our lead and make a difference towards the future."
Moreover, horticulture is also facing challenges. Expected expansion in North America, for example, has been disappointing in recent years. "We expected the willingness to invest to be back on level by 2024. That has not materialized, but the trend and the need for protected cultivation give confidence that it will continue. There is no doubt about the importance of technology in this regard. At the same time, making a 20-hectare greenhouse successful after completion is also proving to be no easy task. Autonomous growing solutions are in high demand, which can boost investment readiness. But again, a company cannot achieve it alone. Cooperation is required."
So plenty of reasons to continue and intensify cooperation between the sector and GreenTech: on the agenda is the joint setting up of projects to exchange even more knowledge and experience between Dutch and international companies. "This offers both technology companies and visitors the opportunity to enter new markets and implement technological solutions on a global scale. A win-win for all parties involved, both in the Netherlands and internationally," Mariska observes. "We continue to build the international stage and platform to share knowledge and present innovations to provide answers to the challenges facing the sector," concludes Annie.
For more information:
GreenTech Amsterdam
[email protected]
www.greentech.nl
AVAG
Europa 1
2672 ZX Naaldwijk, the Netherlands
T: +31 (0) 174 44 66 60
[email protected]
www.avag.nl