60 to 80 procent export
The three most important vegetables grown under glass in the Netherlands are tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers. Depending on the product, about 60 to 80 percent is intended for export.
In the Netherlands, mainly homegrown vegetables are on the shelves from spring to autumn. In winter, a large part comes from southern Europe because it is cheaper.
“We see a number of growers not producing or producing less, because they have to deal with high gas prices,” says GroentenFruit Huis director Richard Schouten. “I don’t see empty shelves happening so quickly. There will be a little less export.”
The prices of vegetables are rising, says Schouten, “but the sales prices in the shops will not rise at the same rate as gas prices. Growers and supermarkets are trying to find solutions together. Higher energy prices are also a problem for growers in other countries. Ultimately the consumer will notice.”
Biomass and geothermal heat
The sector aims to grow fossil-free by 2040, says Alexander Formsma of Greenhouse Horticulture Netherlands. “Some growers work with biomass, as far as we are concerned, that fits in with the climate objectives. Others work with geothermal energy. These are millions of projects, so you either have to work with other growers or with an energy company. But these are multi-year projects, due to complicated financing and construction. “
Geothermal energy systems are constructed with the help of subsidies. The higher the gas price, the lower the subsidy. “That makes switching to geothermal energy financially unattractive,” says grower Van der Lans of Lans Westland. The subsidy is lower at higher gas prices because a grower then ultimately gets more value from the construction.
“The high gas prices underline that the sector has to become more sustainable in the long term”, says Formsma, “but in the short term the high gas prices mean that those projects receive less subsidy. We are even getting signals that a few are standing still. But that going off gas is ultimately the only solution, that’s clear.”
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