In the Dutch greenhouse region of Plukmade, located between Geertruidenberg and Made in the province of North Brabant, a plot of land that long housed a pig farm and arable crops has now been earmarked for greenhouse construction. It was one of the last remaining pieces of agricultural land in the area not yet converted to protected cultivation.
Bos Kwekerijen is building a new greenhouse on the site, bringing the company's total area to 18.5 hectares. Grower Remco Bos was interviewed at the nursery of fellow grower Jordy van der Lans, who cultivates pointed peppers across 2.6 hectares.
Both Bos and Van der Lans are young entrepreneurs in the process of taking over, or having recently taken over, their family businesses in Plukmade. They approach the future with confidence. "Otherwise we wouldn't be adding another 6 hectares," says Bos in Dutch publication BN DeStem. Van der Lans is equally upbeat: "Dutch horticulture is the best in the world. It's a pleasure to work in this industry."
The two growers also point to significant challenges around energy and labour. The nearby Amercentrale power plant is set to close, and geothermal energy is not yet available in the area. Addressing these challenges, they say, is essential for continued growth and scaling up operations.
© Bos Kwekerijen
New construction at Bos Kwekerijen. The pepper grower regularly shares construction updates on social media. This expansion will soon make possible a production of approximately 2,000,000 kg of peppers per year.
