Modern greenhouses are scarce, and construction costs are high. As a result, existing greenhouses are finding owners quickly. The Energy Savings Obligation in force since July 1 may start to affect this. The NVM expects that some of the companies that cannot keep up with the transition the sector is in will be sold. It writes in its semi-annual report 'Real Estate Market in Focus - Agricultural & Rural.'
The greenhouse horticulture sector is in a transition phase. The extremely high gas prices in the second half of 2022 had a major impact on the sector. Companies with long-term contracts were able to benefit from low purchase prices, while those with less favorable contracts found themselves in dire financial straits. Some of these companies were forced into sales as a result, especially in the potted plant and ornamental plant sector.
In the first six months of this year, 11 greenhouse companies were sold, the same number as last year. An average of EUR 1.3 million was paid for a greenhouse horticulture business.
Sale time (in days on the left y-axis) and sales price (in EUR x 1000 on the right y-axis) of horticulture companies
Rising prices despite uncertainty
Overall, the prices of agricultural land and rural housing are rising hard again. Demand for agricultural land is growing again. NVM figures show that in the first six months of 2023, the average price of arable land rose by 5.5 percent and by as much as 10.6 percent compared to the same period last year. The average price of grassland rose by 2.9 per cent.
Jos Ebbers, NVM Agricultural & Rural trade group chairman: "Agrarians are still buying most land, but they are facing increasing competition from parties looking to acquire land for nature conservation, solar parks, or as an investment."
The price of rural homes is also on the rise again, in line with the mainstream housing market. After declining for over a year, in the second quarter of 2023, the selling price was 3 percent higher than in the previous quarter. The gap between demand and purchase price also narrowed.