"In winter, only 12 of our 80 hectares are lit. We really do that for the customers because, price-wise, we shouldn't light the plants at all." Leo van der Lans says to the Algemeen Dagblad when he talks about the situation on his farm, but he sees that for other growers, it is all over.
The biggest disaster would be bad weather in southern Europe, the grower notes in the newspaper. "Then we will have empty shelves in supermarkets and have to deal with high prices for vegetables." Last winter, despite the crisis, this was not an issue, as more growers were still able to do a winter crop and cultivation continued in southern Europe.
Like quite a few people in horticulture, including greenhouse farming, Leo points to gas extraction in Groningen as a solution, if properly regulated for the people there.
President Adri Bom-Lemstra of Glastuinbouw Nederland also spoke. She warns of "far fewer flowers, plants, vegetables and fruit" from Dutch growers. At BNR, VVD MP Jan Huitema points out the dangers of a food crisis in a 'shortcast'.