The position of greenhouse horticulture and Westland is under pressure. To turn the tide, plans have been made recently. The municipality plans to put extra effort into the 'branding' and 'positioning' of the 'strong brand Westland'. In this context, the focus in the coming years will also be on internationalization. A recent visit by a Westland delegation to China is notable in this regard. Ivo Meijer writes about it on LinkedIn.
Together with a colleague, he visited the IPM in Beijing, went on a tour in the provinces of Shangdong and Hebei upon the invitation of the province of Zuid-Holland and Dutch Sino Business Promotions, and visited the city of Dezhou. As the municipality of Westland, there has been a horticultural friendship with Dezhou since 2016. Ivo: "It was enlightening to see with my own eyes the developments this city has already made in the field of horticulture, but especially the enormous ambitions and concrete plans they already have for it. It's impressive to see how the 'Westland' brand and our business community stand in China, despite all challenges, including China's policy to increasingly produce and develop locally. It has given us a good understanding of the opportunities, challenges, and our role towards China."
