The acreage of greenhouse vegetables will amount to 4,920 hectares in the Netherlands this year. That is only 70 hectares less than in the previous record years of 2010 and 2011. The industry’s urge to expand makes it seem as if this record will be broken within the foreseeable future.
Acreage greenhouse vegetables the Netherlands
New buildings
According to the CBS agricultural data, the greenhouse sector had an acreage of 4,990 hectares in 2010 and 2011. After that, the total surface decreased considerably, and last year’s 4,760 hectares was its low point. Since last year, however, construction has significantly increased again, and the previous years are rapidly being caught up with. The total acreage has increased to 4,920 hectares.
The first estimates for new-build in the Dutch greenhouse vegetable sector are in the region of 150-200 hectares for this year. That would mean the Dutch area of greenhouse vegetables would have its old records broken next year.
Increase in scale Dutch greenhouse vegetable sector
Scale
While the area continues to increase further, the number of greenhouse vegetable nurseries is rapidly decreasing in the Netherlands. At the start of this century, there were still 3,430 greenhouse vegetable companies. Ten years ago, that number was still 2,400, and by now, only 1,330 are left. The increase in scale is continuing: in that same period, average acreage tripled. In the year 2000, a nursery was an average 1.2 hectares, and by now, that is 3.7 hectares.
Please click here to see the agricultural data at Statistics Netherlands.