Global player in fruit and vegetables...

For a small country, the Netherlands is big in producing and supplying fruit and vegetables from Dutch soil, Dutch glasshouses or anywhere else in the world. Dutch traders in fruit and vegetables know how to source first-class produce from around the globe. And as a sector we seek to guarantee fair working conditions and to minimise the environmental impact of production and transport. By using new technologies, we aim to organise our supply chains efficiently and to make them more sustainable.

The Dutch fruit and vegetable sector meets a global need for healthy food for millions of people. Thanks to our expertise and innovation, we have seen strong growth in the production, import and export of fruit and vegetables in recent decades. The fruit and vegetable sector has become a key driver of the Dutch economy. Total commercial sales of fruit and vegetables in the Netherlands are worth approximately € 18 billion, with members of Fresh Produce Centre accounting for around eighty percent of these sales. 

Factsheet fruit and vegetables - Annual figures 2023

Energy prices and climate records impacted the trade in vegetables and fruit in 2023. The production of the Netherlands' main greenhouse vegetable, the tomato, started later due to high energy prices. After a dry spring, a wet summer followed, and the autumn was even wetter. Overall, there was a lower volume of vegetables and fruit at a higher price. The Dutch export of vegetables and fruit abroad decreased by 2 percent in weight, while the export value increased by 10 percent to €14.9 billion. This and more can be found in the full factsheet "Vegetables and Fruit in Focus" from Fresh Produce Center here.

Factsheet: The Netherlands Gateway to the EU

The Netherlands is responsible for 38 percent of the total EU import of vegetables and fruit from non-EU countries. Spain (13%) and France (12%) follow at a distance. Imports are necessary to provide European consumers with a year-round, varied supply of vegetables and fruit. Each year, 14.5 billion kilos of vegetables and fruit are imported into the EU, of which 12.5 billion kilos are fruit. The Dutch share in the total EU import of various fruit types is remarkably high. For grapes, the share is 76 percent. The Netherlands accounts for over 70 percent of EU blueberry imports. The country also leads in oranges (66%), avocados (63%), and mangoes (58%). See more facts in the Factsheet: The Netherlands Gateway to the EU.