In the Netherlands, the announced closure of Bunnik Group and the earlier exit of Plantise have raised questions about the vitality of the horticulture sector in the municipality of Lansingerland. Regional broadcaster RTV Lansingerland examined whether these are isolated incidents or signs of a more structural problem within the sector.
If even large, professionally managed companies decide to stop, what does this say about the rest of the industry? And why are companies under increasing pressure? National data show that businesses in this region are, on average, larger, more technologically advanced and more capital-intensive than elsewhere in the country. While this offers opportunities in favourable years, it also makes companies more vulnerable when costs rise or policies change.
To assess the situation, RTV Lansingerland compared a wide range of sources. These included national and regional data from Wageningen Social & Economic Research, local Wageningen University & Research analyses for Lansingerland, municipal documents such as the economic dialogue sessions for the Environmental Vision 2.0, responses from local politicians, and a written explanation from the municipal executive board. In addition, advisers from within the horticultural sector were consulted.
Pressure on margins
A recurring theme across these sources is pressure on profit margins. The lingering effects of the COVID-19 period are also still being felt. In response to these concerns, the municipal executive of Lansingerland presents a broader perspective. It stresses that there has been no widespread "shake-out" in recent years. Despite challenges such as the pandemic, the energy crisis and geopolitical tensions, the municipality sees signs of resilience in the sector.
According to the local authorities, this resilience is closely linked to the concentration of knowledge, innovation and entrepreneurship within the regional Horti Science cluster.
The availability of heat is identified as the largest and most costly challenge facing greenhouse growers, with water supply also mentioned as a key issue. Labour, notably, is not highlighted as a major bottleneck in the analysis.
Looking ahead, the policy challenge for the coming years is described as a shift in focus: not more greenhouse area, but better greenhouse production. This means moving away from volume-driven production with low margins, towards greater added value, innovation and professionally managed businesses.
Source: RTV Lansingerland
