Dutch agriculture is based on low prices and large volumes. That has to change. The quality that farmers deliver must be paid for by the retail sector. Farmers, in turn, should stop blaming supers for the low selling prices. That is what Lucas Simons says at the AgriFood & Tech event in Almere, organized by NRC and supported by Boerenbusiness.
Dutch agriculture forms the new delta works based on soil, technology, environment and health. So says Lucas Simons, author of the book Changing the Food Game. 'The market has to start appreciating quality again. Now is the time to turn the tide. Citizens are more interested than ever in food and its origin.'
Stop blaming each other
Simons calls on the government not to set up more agricultural committees and pilots. "That hardly yields anything." Simons also has a message for retail and farmers. 'For supermarkets it is forbidden to say that the consumer is asking for cheap, quickly produced agricultural products. They do exactly what retail wants. For the farmers: stop blaming the supermarkets.' He asks the social organization to be ambitious, but keep it realistic and also recognize what is going well.
Subsidy money enough
According to Simons, to achieve change you need a vision, a plan and an implementation structure. 'There is enough money. Just look at the amount of subsidies. A platform with decisiveness that sets out the lines is needed. Not participating is not an option, because then you will be out as a farmer.'
New interpretation for Made in Holland
Simons told the approximately 150 attendees that 'Made in Holland' should no longer mean low prices, large volumes and large-scale production, but that 50 percent of the agricultural area is filled with regenerative agriculture (for example, nature-inclusive agriculture or organic) that has a positive impact on the soil and the climate.
© DCA Market Intelligence. This market information is subject to copyright. It is not permitted to reproduce, distribute, disseminate or make the content available to third parties for compensation, in any form, without the express written permission of DCA Market Intelligence.
