Agricultural exports continue to grow, imports grow faster
Dutch trade in agricultural goods continues to expand. According to new estimates, exports will reach €137.5 billion in 2025, an increase of 8.4 percent compared with the previous year. This marks the tenth consecutive year of growth in agricultural exports. Imports are also rising sharply, increasing by 11.3 percent to €95.1 billion. These figures are based on data from Statistics Netherlands (CBS) and Wageningen University & Research (WUR).
Although import values are growing faster in percentage terms than export values, the trade surplus remains high because the absolute increase in exports is larger than that of imports. For 2025, the surplus is estimated at €42.4 billion. “Dutch agriculture plays an important role in international trade chains, as a producer, processor and transit country,” says researcher Jop Woltjer. “That explains why both exports and imports are substantial and continue to grow together.”
Two thirds of Dutch origin
Almost two thirds of agricultural exports consist of products of Dutch origin. This amounts to €88.4 billion worth of goods that are produced in the Netherlands or substantially processed there, such as chocolate made from imported cocoa beans. The remainder consists of re-exports. This share of Dutch-origin products is higher than for total goods exports, where around half of exports originate in the Netherlands.
The growth in trade value is largely driven by higher prices. About two thirds of the increase can be attributed to price rises, with volume growth accounting for the remainder. Prices increased more strongly on the import side than on the export side, which helps explain the rapid growth in import values.
Export markets
Europe remains by far the most important destination for Dutch agricultural products. In 2025, almost 73 percent of exports go to other EU countries. Germany tops the list, followed by Belgium, France and the United Kingdom. Dairy products and eggs, cocoa and cocoa products, floriculture, meat and fruit are among the largest export groups. In the dairy sector in particular, a combination of higher prices in the first half of the year and sustained strong demand contributed to the increase in export value.
These infographics show the Dutch export and import of agricultural goods in 2025. The top 5 export countries are Germany, Belgium, France, United Kingdom and Spain. The total value of agricultural export is 137,5 billion euros. The top three export products are dairy & eggs; cocoa; and floriculture. The top 5 import countries are Germany, Belgium, France, Spain and Ivory Coast. The total value of agricultural import is 95,1 billion euros. The top 3 import products are cocoa; fruit; and natural oils & fats.
On the import side, cocoa stands out. Due to disappointing harvests and high world market prices, the import value rose sharply. The Netherlands imports cocoa largely for processing and subsequent export. In total, around 72 percent of all imported agricultural goods are destined for further processing and export. “This underlines the Netherlands’ position as a key link in global food chains,” Woltjer notes.
Agriculture-related goods
Exports of agriculture-related goods, such as machinery and greenhouse materials, are also growing rapidly. In 2025, these exports are estimated at €14.0 billion, an increase of 14 percent. Together with trade in primary and processed agricultural products, these flows are estimated to generate €54.6 billion in earnings.
Economic benefits versus societal costs
The figures illustrate how closely Dutch agriculture is intertwined with international markets. This integration brings economic benefits, such as employment and export revenues, but also raises questions about sustainability, land use and environmental pressure. “The core of the debate is how we can continue to benefit from the economic gains of trade while consistently paying attention to societal costs,” says Woltjer. This tension is likely to remain central to discussions about the future of Dutch agriculture in the years ahead.
Download the publication: https://doi.org/10.18174/707136
Background information
Source of the figures
Each year, WUR and CBS produce estimates of agricultural import and export figures, commissioned by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature (LVVN). At the time of publication, final figures for 2025 were not yet available. Estimates were therefore required for the missing months, based on percentage developments in the first ten months of 2025 compared with 2024 and actual figures for November and December 2024.
Definition of agricultural goods
Wageningen University & Research, CBS and the Ministry of LVVN have determined which goods fall under the definition of agricultural goods, in line with international classifications. Agricultural trade here covers the first 24 chapters of international trade statistics, plus a number of agricultural goods from other chapters according to the Combined Nomenclature (CN) coding system. Agricultural goods include both unprocessed primary products, such as pigs, apples, flowers, flower bulbs and tomatoes, and processed secondary products, such as cheese, chips, chocolate, beer, tomato ketchup and fruit juice. Agriculture-related tertiary goods, such as agricultural machinery or fertilisers, fall outside the basic definition of agricultural exports but are discussed in detail in the main publication.
Source of the figures
Each year, WUR and CBS produce estimates of agricultural import and export figures, commissioned by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature (LVVN). At the time of publication, final figures for 2025 were not yet available. Estimates were therefore required for the missing months, based on percentage developments in the first ten months of 2025 compared with 2024 and actual figures for November and December 2024.
Definition of agricultural goods
Wageningen University & Research, CBS and the Ministry of LVVN have determined which goods fall under the definition of agricultural goods, in line with international classifications. Agricultural trade here covers the first 24 chapters of international trade statistics, plus a number of agricultural goods from other chapters according to the Combined Nomenclature (CN) coding system. Agricultural goods include both unprocessed primary products, such as pigs, apples, flowers, flower bulbs and tomatoes, and processed secondary products, such as cheese, chips, chocolate, beer, tomato ketchup and fruit juice. Agriculture-related tertiary goods, such as agricultural machinery or fertilisers, fall outside the basic definition of agricultural exports but are discussed in detail in the main publication.
