Dutch organic agriculture has unique characteristics and peculiarities. It is still a relatively small sector compared to conventional agriculture in the Netherlands. However, its market share is growing and organic agriculture leads the way in terms of sustainability and innovation

Hommes, M.

Sukkel, W.

English

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Organic agriculture in the Netherlands

Wageningen Yield 

8 Research on organic agriculture in the Netherlands 9
Dutch organic agriculture has unique
characteristics and peculiarities. It is 
still a relatively small sector compared 
to conventional agriculture in the  
Netherlands. However, its market  
share is growing and organic agriculture 
leads the way in terms of sustainability 
and innovations.  
With a total surface area of about 4.15 million hectares, the Netherlands ranks among the smaller 
countries in Western Europe. With a population of 16.5 million in the year 2007, it is one of the 
most densely populated countries in the world. 
The limited land area puts almost permanent pressure on rural areas, as these have to provide 
opportunities for economic production and transportation. At the same time, valuable nature areas 
and unique landscapes must be safeguarded for future generations. 
Agriculture is an important sector in the Netherlands. Of the 3.4 million hectares of land surface,  
1.9 million hectares is dedicated to agriculture. Costs for land and labour are high and therefore high 
productivity and good mechanisation are needed for farmers to be able to earn a living.
Organic acreage and plant production
Organic agriculture occupies a relatively small part of the total agricultural acreage in the 
Netherlands. With a share of 2.61 %  (see Table 1), Dutch organic agriculture is below average 
compared to other EU countries. However, almost all organic acreage is highly productive.  
High-value crops have a relatively large share in the crop rotations (see Table 2). 
A large part of the organic area is grassland that is used mainly for dairy production. Feed crops are 
also grown mainly for dairy production. The dominant feed crop is silage maize. Cereals are used 
mainly because of their positive role in crop rotation and have a relatively low share in the farmers’
 incomes. Important cereals are wheat and barley. These are grown partly for human consumption 
and partly for animal feed.
Vegetable crops and potatoes are the most important cash crops in organic plant production. 
Principal vegetable crops are carrots, onions and cabbage species. A large part of the yield of these 
crops is exported to neighbouring countries. Greenhouse production is a very specific branch of 
organic vegetable production, and although it is very small in terms of area (70 ha), it has a very high 
economic value. Tomato, sweet pepper and cucumber are important organic greenhouse crops.
The main Dutch fruit crops are apples and pears. Scab-resistant apple varieties such as Santana and 
Evita are important organic fruit crops. Besides apples and pears, berries and wine grapes are grown.
In addition to these main branches of plant production, many other crops are grown organically,  
for example, ornamentals, flowers, bulbs and mushrooms.
Table 1. Land area and number of organic farms in the Netherlands (2008)
Total agricultural area  1,929,274 ha
Organic agriculture 50,435 ha
Organic share of total agricultural area  2.61%
Number of certified organic farms 1,395
Total area organic agriculture 50,435 ha
Grassland  36,029
Cereals 5,092
Vegetables 4,200
Feed crops 1,305
Potatoes  1,270
Fruit 5464
Non productive* 737
Various 1,256
Table 2. Land use in organic agriculture (2007)
* The non-productive land is either fallow or cultivated with crops primarily grown for soil improvement
Organic agriculture in  
the Netherlands1
10 Research on organic agriculture in the Netherlands Organic agriculture in the Netherlands 11
Animal production
Dutch people consume a lot of dairy products, and organic dairy has enjoyed increasing popularity. 
Most of the consumed dairy products come from dairy cattle. In the Netherlands there are 
approximately 16,000 organic dairy cows on 305 farms, with an average cow density of 1.77 per 
hectare. Moreover, there are about 60 organic goat dairy farms and 15 organic sheep dairy farms. 
Their produce is mainly exported.
About 170 farms produce organic beef. Dutch organic beef production is in steady decline, similar 
to conventional beef production. Consumer demand for organic beef, however, has shown steady 
growth. A large part of the organic beef that is sold in the Netherlands is therefore imported.
The number of organic pig farms has increased slowly in recent years, as has the number of pigs 
per farm. Currently there are approximately 65 organic pig farms in the Netherlands. 
The number of organic laying hens in the Netherlands has increased strongly over the last few years, 
from about 405,000 in 2004, to almost 1 million in 2007. However, this still amounts to only 4 per 
cent  of all laying hens in the country. Three-quarters of all organic eggs are exported to Germany. 
Organic poultry meat is produced on only 10 Dutch farms, which together house about 55,000 birds.
Area remains constant with rising demand
Consumer demand for organic products has risen steadily over the last 10 years. In 2008, 
consumer spending on organic produce amounted to €583 million, a market share of 2.1 per cent. 
The product groups fruit, potatoes and vegetables, and dairy and eggs enjoy the highest market 
shares of 3.8 and 4.3,per cent respectively. The main sales channels for organic produce are 
supermarkets and specialised organic or natural food stores, with respective shares of 45 and 
 42 per cent of total sales.
Upcoming sales channels are the internet and the catering market. Sales of organic produce in  
the catering market have almost doubled from €23.4 million in 2007, to €46.1 million in 2008.   
A typical sales channel for organic produce is the so-called ‘box scheme’. The latter entails a 
subscription plan where the consumer receives a box or bag containing an assortment of freshly 
harvested vegetables and fruit every week, for a fixed price.
Over the last decade, consumer spending on organic produce has grown 8.5 per cent annually  
on average. International sales of organic produce are also still increasing. However, since 2004, 
the number of organic farms has declined and the total organic acreage has almost stabilised.  
This development has caused a shortage in the supply of organic produce in recent years. Dutch 
conventional farmers are currently reluctant to convert to organic agriculture. An active campaign 
is now taking place to try to influence the views and attitudes of these farmers. Organic production 
needs to be considered more as an economically viable option for farm development.
Ambitions for sustainable development
The organic sector in the Netherlands is dedicated to the continuing sustainability of organic 
agriculture. The sector supports a long-term vision in which a top performance in sustainability  
is the goal. Based on this vision, ambitions have been formulated, which in many cases go much 
further than the current standards for certified organic production as described in EU regulations.
Priority issues in sustainability are the following: animal welfare, a clean environment, climate-
neutral production, on-farm nature and biodiversity, close connection with society and consumers, 
healthy, flavourful and safe food, 100% organic inputs and no depletion of resources. Following  
the recommendations of the organic sector, a substantial part of the agenda for research and 
knowledge circulation is dedicated to these ambitions.
Multifunctionality and connecting to society
Due to the dense population and competing claims for land in the Netherlands, there are opportunities 
for multifunctional land use and multifunctional agriculture. The organic sector in the Netherlands 
contains a very high number of multifunctional farms. Sixty per cent of all organic farms have  
activities in addition to primary production. This is three times higher than in conventional agriculture. 
Nature conservation is the most common side-activity, with 40 per cent of farms involved.  
Direct sales (30%), recreation (20%) and healthcare (12%) are other significant activities. 
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It is striking that organic farms are often specifically involved in activities that foster a closer 
connection between society and production. On organic farms, the general public is much more 
personally involved in the farm and in food production than on conventional farms.
Ambitious policy
Dutch policy actively supports the development of organic agriculture. The motivation for this 
support is the sector’s strong performance with regard to sustainability, multifunctionality and 
social connections. A precondition is that organic agriculture connects with forerunners in 
sustainability in mainstream agriculture, and in this way promotes the exchange of knowledge.  
The government also challenges the sector to strengthen its connection with society.
The organic sector must continue with its own development. In the years to come, the Dutch 
organic sector should develop into a robust and independent sector, with a market share that 
increases by 10 per cent annually. Additionally, organic acreage should grow by 5 per cent annually. 
Knowledge and market development are considered to be the main driving forces for the growth of 
organic agriculture. Therefore, financial support from the government is focused on these aspects 
instead of direct financial support for organic farmers. 
Market development is facilitated by the Taskforce Market Development for Organic Agriculture.  
An important objective of the Taskforce is to increase the sales of organic produce. This Taskforce 
organises consumer campaigns, supports retailers in their marketing efforts and promotes export 
and import of organic produce. Moreover, the organisation has a role in balancing supply and 
demand considering the current shortage in the supply of organic produce. 
Another important way to encourage market development in organic agriculture, is effective 
cooperation between the parties in the chain. This cooperation is outlined in a formal agreement 
between chain parties. Chain management is a key element in the approach taken through this formal 
agreement. Acting as impartial discussion partners for all links in the chain, chain managers are 
encouraging greater efforts from businesses towards both consumers and other links in the chain.
Knowledge development is strongly directed at strengthening the innovative power of the sector. 
There is also ample attention to knowledge exchange and use of knowledge. The organic sector is, 
through the Bioconnect network, specifically involved in setting the agenda for knowledge 
development and exchange (see Chapter 3). To support knowledge development and exchange, 
there is a standard allocation to the organic sector of 10% of the budget for policy support research 
and statutory research tasks in agriculture.
Literature
Biologica. 2008. Bio-Monitor, figures and trends (Bio-Monitor, cijfers en trends). Annual report. Biologica.
Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality. 2007. Policy Document on Organic Agriculture 2008 – 2011, Organic 
connections, perspectives for growth. Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, The Hague, December 2007.


Organic agriculture in the Netherlands

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