State of Agriculture, Nature and Food: Reliable information on the Dutch agribusiness complex and nature is now available in a new web portal

That is one of the striking facts that emerged from the recent report the State of Agriculture, Nature and Food. The report was made available today on the new, eponymous website where the most up-to-date and reliable data on agriculture in the Netherlands can now be found.

The report also stated that the added value of the total agribusiness complex in 2020 – the most recent year with reliable figures – was around €55 billion. This is comparable to previous years. Three-quarters of that value was generated by exports, which rose 9% last year to about €105 billion. Employment in the agribusiness complex also showed an upward trend, while the total number of agricultural and horticultural enterprises fell by 600 last year.

Web portal on nature and the agribusiness complex

The new web portal State of Agriculture, Nature and Food contains data on the entire the agribusiness complex: from production, international trade and innovation to animal health, nitrogen emissions and food consumption. The data have been brought together, harmonised and validated by means of a comprehensive data science solution: the 'data warehouse' of Wageningen University & Research.

The publication was carried out by Wageningen Economic Research and Statistics Netherlands on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Safety.

The scope of the publication has also been expanded compared to the previous edition: the report now addresses nature and the fishing industry. In addition, data on structural trends, incomes in primary agriculture, the environment, innovation, and food expenditures and food sales channels have been made accessible in this publication, including information on the mutual relationships between Dutch agribusiness and food consumption.

Several key conclusions from the publication

Dutch agribusiness

The value added of the total agribusiness complex was about €55 billion in 2020. Employment grew to 583,000 annual work units in 2020. In the entire agribusiness complex, exports contribute around three-quarters of the added value and employment.

The Netherlands exported about €105 billion worth of agricultural goods in 2021; the import value of agricultural goods was €72.5 billion. The growth is due to both increased prices and increased volume. Total exports in 2021 consisted of €75.7 billion worth of domestic products and €29 billion of imported products that the Netherlands re-exported after processing.

The higher costs of raw materials, especially oil and natural gas, have contributed to a drop in net revenue from exports. Vegetables and seeds are the products from which the Netherlands earns the highest net revenue (almost €5 billion).

Agriculture and horticulture

According to the Agricultural Census, in 2021 the number of agricultural and horticultural enterprises fell by nearly 600 to a total of 52,100. In 2021, the area of cultivated land in use by registered agricultural and horticultural enterprises declined by 2,600 ha.

Organic farming

Compared to 2020, the number of certified organic agricultural and horticultural enterprises in the Netherlands in 2021 increased by 2% to 2,063.

Agri-business in more detail

Almost 30% of agribusiness enterprises (including primary agriculture) with 10 or more employees engaged in some form of innovation between 2018 and 2020. For all enterprises in the Netherlands, this proportion was 38%.

Fishing industry

The activities of the large sea fishing fleet (trawlers), the cutter fleet, the mussel and oyster farming fleet and the other minor marine fisheries are all included in the category of marine fisheries. This part of the fishery complex consists mainly of family-run enterprises. The total Dutch offshore fishing fleet in 2021 consisted of around 590 larger and smaller active vessels, employing around 1,831 crew (FTE).

Food consumption

Total consumption by Dutch households was around €360 billion in 2021, of which over €45 billion was spent on food and non-alcoholic beverages. By 2021, the proportion of expenditure on food with an independently verified sustainability label in supermarkets, food service and specialist shops was 19%.

Environmental impact and emissions

Greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture and horticulture, consisting of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane, decreased by 19% in 2020 compared to 1990. Of all particulate matter (PM10) emissions in the Netherlands, 19% originated from agriculture and horticulture in 2020. Total particulate matter emissions from agriculture decreased from 6,200 tonnes in 2015 to 5,400 tonnes in 2020.

Ammonia emissions

Ammonia emissions in agriculture in 2020 – almost 107 million kg – were 1 million kg higher than in 2019. Cattle farming had the largest share of NH₃ emissions in 2020, with 59 million kg from cattle manure, followed by pig farming with 18 million kg and poultry farming with 12 million kg.

Nature

A Red List is a summary of species in the Netherlands that have disappeared or are endangered. The number of endangered species is an indicator of the health of natural habitats. An official Red List has now been drawn up for 18 species groups. It defines the status for each native species in each group. Among stoneflies, diurnal butterflies, mayflies and bees, a relatively large number of species have disappeared completely from the Netherlands.

Water

The European Water Framework Directive (WFD) defines the policy for assessing the quality of surface and groundwater in Europe. In 44 of the 710 water bodies in the Netherlands, surface water biological quality is good, while in all other water bodies it is insufficient.