In 2024, the Netherlands harvested more than 86 million kilos of strawberries — double the amount from 2010. The surge is mainly due to an increase in strawberry production under glass and plastic tunnels. Interestingly, while production has soared, the total strawberry-growing area has actually shrunk by more than 15% over the same period, dropping to 1,400 hectares. The acreage for other soft fruit, such as berries, has also fallen since peaking in 2018, according to figures from Statistics Netherlands (CBS).
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In 2024, three-quarters of all Dutch strawberries were grown under glass or tunnels, compared to just half in 2010. The area used for these protected crops has more than doubled since 2010, reaching 602 hectares in 2024. Yields from these systems have more than tripled in the same period, hitting 66 million kilos.
Open-field strawberry cultivation has gone the opposite way. In 2024, open-field production covered 758 hectares, almost 44% less than in 2010. Yet, despite this big drop in land use, yields only fell by 4.2%, producing just over 20 million kilos in 2024.
While harvest figures for 2025 are not yet available, preliminary acreage data shows the downward trend continues. Open-field strawberry acreage is expected to fall further to 724 hectares, 4.5% less than in 2024. Even the protected-crop area has dipped slightly, down 1.8% to 591 hectares.
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Area of blackcurrants more than halved since 2010
In 2025, the Netherlands cultivated 1,400 hectares of soft fruit in open fields. This category includes blueberries, red currants, blackberries, raspberries, black currants, and other small fruit crops. Since 2010, the total soft fruit acreage has fallen by nearly 4%.
Blueberries remain the most widely grown soft fruit in the country. After peaking at 949 hectares in 2019, the blueberry area dropped to 647 hectares in 2025. Black currants have seen an even sharper decline — down 64% since 2010 to just 196 hectares in 2025. Both crops are under pressure from increasing competition from Eastern Europe.
More than half of all Dutch soft fruit (54.8%) is grown in the southern provinces of Limburg and North Brabant.
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Source: CBS
