Low market price kills protein cultivation in the Netherlands

"We say no to selling below cost!" That is the message that field bean growers in Flevoland, united in FlevoVeldboon, spread last week. And with that they take a risk, because the growers see guaranteed sales pass them by. "But the proposal is simply not correct. Because field beans grown abroad are so cheap, industrial processors no longer want to pay for the locally grown product," explains Diane Stap, spokesperson for FlevoVeldboon. "The growers could not agree to this from a moral and economic point of view. They deserve a fair price that can be recouped."

Too low world market price
Dutch growers cannot (yet) compete with the world market price. "If we want to do that now, we have to sell below cost. That's one thing no go", says Jaco Burgers of ERF and Convention, two parties affiliated with FlevoVeldboon. There are several reasons why the difference between the Dutch cost price and the world market price is so large. Consider the high land prices (especially in the Flevopolder), complicated regulations, increased labor costs and higher cultivation costs. "If you think about land prices, it is not surprising that many growers make a decision based on return. After all, field beans, but also other protein crops, do not yet yield as well as potatoes or wheat," says Stap.

It is one of the reasons that the cultivation of protein crops in our country is still so small. There are currently only five protein crops grown on a larger scale in the Netherlands: alfalfa, fodder beets, field beans, lupine and fodder peas. Last year this amounted to a total of 9.400 hectares, reported Cor Pierik, head of agriculture at the Central Bureau of Statistics. earlier this year in an interview on Foodbusiness. "Of this, 1.500 hectares were used for the cultivation of field beans, which is an increase compared to the year before. We are therefore still really dependent on the protein crops that we import from abroad."

Creating returns is something that takes time. "We only started growing corn in the Netherlands in the 100s. That return was not optimal from one day to the next. That took time and the opportunity to experiment," says Stap. She states that 'cultivation knowledge' in field beans still needs to be developed: which variety do we need, what do we do in terms of soil preparation, how should we care for the plants? These are questions that cannot yet be answered with 4% certainty. "At the same time, the market is crying out for vegetable proteins. And that's where the problem lies. If processors contract 8 tons with a Dutch grower, but receive XNUMX tons for the same price abroad, the choice is quickly made."

But this is not something new, the cost difference has been in place since the Blair House agreement of 1992, in which market protection for the cultivation of protein-rich crops was abolished. "The development immediately stopped there," Stap reports. The Dutch Arable Farming Union has also been harping on this for years. "The current European market price is too far below the cost price. As long as that is the case, large-scale protein cultivation in the Netherlands (and Europe) will not get off the ground," writes the organisation. This applies to all protein crops, not just field beans. "Quinoa and lupine also have to compete with lower world market prices," says André Jurrius of Ekoboerderij De Lingehof, affiliated with 'Protein Farmers of the Netherlands'.

Become proud of the Netherlands
The statement of the Flevoland farmers can therefore count on a lot of praise. Jurrius: "I understand their position. We cannot change much about our growing conditions, such as the cost of land. This means that we have to be tougher. Growing close is good for the environment, but it does come with a price tag. This is a great way to wake everyone up." Geert Lindenhols, protein grower in Zuidwolde, agrees. "We work with a free market. If traders determine what Dutch products should cost, then that is no longer the case. You first have to add up the cultivation costs, calculate a margin on top of it and only then can it be sold."

And perhaps the Dutch government can play a role in this. In Belgium, for example, farmers receive a premium per hectare of field beans grown. "I don't think this is necessarily necessary, but the government does have an oil-lubricating effect. They must inform consumers and create awareness. The benefits of local production must be made clear by the government," says Jurrius. He refers, among other things, to the fact that cultivation is better for the soil, contributes to biodiversity, helps with nitrogen fixation and that protein crops are often excellent dormant crops.

And if there is more attention for the Dutch product, this must also be clearly incorporated on the packaging. "If something does not come from the Netherlands, then as far as I'm concerned it can be labeled with cow letters," Lindenhols reports. "We have to become proud of the region again. They are in France or Denmark. We have to follow this example. Many beans now come from Canada. You cannot call that sustainable if you look at how much transport and chemistry is involved beforehand. go." Step agrees and goes even further. "If it were up to me, processors would simply be obliged to obtain at least 50% of their raw materials from the Netherlands."

Taking risks and experimenting
The fact that Flevoland growers now have to look for a new sales market is part of it, says Stap. "It is a project of trying and possibly against errors running up. That's okay. Look at it positively: now growers have the freedom to experiment with varieties and see what yields the most return." Burgers agrees: "We do not want to sign up for a loss-making crop, which we know has enormous potential. . We'll just keep going and not give up hope."