Interview Dirk Duijzer
'Don't make everyone an enemy, start a conversation'
Dirk Duijzer has been chairman of the Agri & Food top sector for over a year. It was a strange year. Not only because of the corona crisis, but Duijzer also made people laugh with his vision on bulk export and circular agriculture. on Boerenbusiness He talks about the developments in the agri and food business on TV and looks ahead to the Dutch Food Week next autumn.
The current chairman of the Agri & Food top sector, Dirk Duijzer, last year quite quietly in the footsteps of Aalt Dijkhuizen. After a while it became clear that circular agriculture is one of his spearheads, but innovation and collaboration are also high on his agenda. "You can't do it all alone anymore."
The first year as chairman of the Agri & Food Top Sector is over. A special year in view of the coronavirus. How did you experience it?
"It was indeed a special year. At the start of the year we quickly had to deal with the corona crisis. In the beginning we thought that this would hit the agricultural sector very hard and that certainly happened initially. Just think of the difficult trade flows. It was a shock to many companies, but in the end the recovery was also rapid. In the autumn we even had the idea that agriculture and horticulture were doing better than almost all other sectors in the Netherlands. That was a nice boost ."
Did you also miss things in your position as chairman due to the corona crisis?
"Not so much missed, but what you got was that the ministry immediately involved you in financing companies. This had the highest priority and only after that attention was again paid to innovation. However, the question was whether there was room in companies to investigate further. think about innovation. Shortly later, there were already preparations for a new cabinet. As a top sector, of course we have to switch again: what do we want to pass on to the cabinet?"
What do you as the Agri & Food Top Sector want to achieve in the coming year and the period after that?
"Next year we want to focus on collaboration. Health is an increasingly important theme and food is an important part of it. Innovation, DNA techniques, new barn systems. These are all wonderful initiatives to improve the sector. But we can do it." not all alone anymore. Collaboration – including with the other top sectors in the country – must therefore be a spearhead. In the years that follow, we want to continue to focus on the Growth Fund and our 'Foodswitch' plan. We want to further refine this plan and We should be able to continue with that plan in the coming years."
If we look at the current developments in the agri and food business. What is happening now and where are the challenges?
"In general, the sector is developing quite positively, especially when it comes to production, trade and how our products are known worldwide. Where the discussion is, is at home. And I mean the discussion with society in particular. seems like there is a center avoiding force. You can't come together, not even in terms of points of view. It all has to come as far apart as possible. That seems to be the most fun game this period. But in the end you have to get together come to the table to do business. It makes no sense to look for the extremes. You won't find solutions there."
Chain collaboration has indeed become a hot topic. How do you view that?
"In my view, that has always been very important. But it is difficult. The sector consists of hard workers, a lot of capital and low margins. As a result, there has always been tension and I understand that. There are now more and more supermarkets that do. wanting to enter into a dialogue with farmers and horticulturists and that certainly pays off. Politicians are also open to more cooperation with the chain. But the question is: how do you force that in a free market? That is and will remain difficult."
If those supermarkets reach out to farmers and horticulturists, does that mean that the trust of the individual chain parties is now sufficient to actually achieve something?
"I do think that this confidence is increasing, but it is still not enough. The supermarket also does not have a mega margin. It all has to do with the public, the consumer. They are very spoiled in the Netherlands, who thinks everything about agriculture, the farmers and the horticulturists, but pay .... Oh come on. We still have the lowest share when it comes to the consumer pattern. It is therefore implausible that it is precisely those who make those demands. Farmers feel this is an unjustified attack, because anyway nobody wants to pay. I understand that. But it doesn't help to make everyone an enemy either. That's the other side of the story."
How can politics play a role in this?
"Politics should not always look for everything in extremes. They should not put a horse remedy (read: a contraction of the sector) first. You should look at what the sector itself can change. Innovation helps with this. Think of new stable systems. I think that we can achieve a 2030% nitrogen reduction by 25. They may think that is too little, but then we have to think about how we can increase that percentage. Time and innovation are the most important. I am confident that we can achieve that."
You mentioned it before, sitting at the table. It is also the theme of the Dutch Food Week. Was it consciously chosen for that reason?
"Yes, you are used to talking normally about business at the table. The metaphor in the sector was, of course, always: 'You do business at the kitchen table'. We want the parties to sit down together now. Also everyone out. Also everyone who has a preconceived opinion against agriculture. Come to the table and start the conversation. We are a small country and we need each other."
It's a clear signal. Is the Dutch Food Week a success for you if everyone comes to the table?
"I am satisfied when we listen to each other at the table and then something is also done with it. We want to have a future as a sector. We want certainty, trust and tranquility. After all, it is not possible to invest otherwise. All countries where there are contradictions have the upper hand, no ball will come of it. We also know that. Let us as the Netherlands have learned from the environment on that point. If the basis is not in order and we cannot sit down at the table together, then we are far from So I say come home, sit down at the table and do business."
Kimberly Baker
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