Netherlands: CBS: 288 hectares less greenhouses this year

The acreage of greenhouse cultivation in the Netherlands, according to the CBS, declined in 2012 by around 288 hectare to a total of 9,960 hectare. This is the first time this century that greenhouse horticulture is smaller than 10 thousand hectare. This is primarily caused by the decrease of acreage in cauliflower nursery plants (-150 hectare). The average area per horticultural business doubled between 2000 and 2012.

Acreage of greenhouse vegetables decreases for the first time

The Dutch acreage of greenhouse cultivation declined in 2012 for the first time since the year 2000 (-124 hectare). Due to the sharp increase in the acreage of greenhouse vegetables in the years 2000 through to 2011, the surface area in 2012 is almost 16 percent higher than in the year 2000. Greenhouse vegetables accounted for the largest acreage of greenhouses (4.9 thousand hectare). In the period between 2000 through to and including 2009, flowers accounted for the largest surface area grown under glass.

Spacious 5 hectare per tomato company

The average surface area for greenhouse cultivation doubled to 2 hectare per company from 2000 tot 2012. A vegetable grower had an average of 3 hectare per company in 2012. From these vegetable growers, tomato growers had the largest acreage (5.1 ha), followed by pepper growers (4.6 ha) and cucumber growers (2.5 ha) per company. The tomato companies experienced the largest growth in the period between 2000 to 2012. These companies, on average, are now almost three times as large as they were in 2000.

The largest decrease of the greenhouse acreage in 2012, occurred in South-Holland. The surface area of greenhouses fell by 150 hectare. North-Brabant experienced a decrease of 60 hectare followed by Gelderland with 53 hectare. The province of North-Holland saw the most increase of greenhouses (+39 ha). The growth in North-Holland is almost entirely due to the growth of tomato acreage.

Source: cbs.nl