Despite its modest size, the Netherlands has become an agricultural titan, as evidenced by producing nearly 7 million tonnes of potatoes on just 68,200 hectares of land in 2022 while also leading the world in export-oriented onion cultivation and pioneering high-tech greenhouse systems that yield an astonishing 979 tonnes of tomatoes per hectare.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, the Netherlands harvested 6,782,000 tonnes of potatoes from 68,200 hectares of land, achieving an average yield of 99.4 tonnes per hectare
- Dutch potato production in 2021 totaled 5,112,000 tonnes, down 25% from 2020 due to weather impacts, with seed potatoes accounting for 25% of output
- In 2023, sugar beet production reached 6.2 million tonnes from 73,000 hectares, yielding 85 tonnes/ha
- Tomato production in Dutch greenhouses reached 910,000 tonnes in 2022 from 930 hectares, yield 979 tonnes/ha
- Cucumber output totaled 365,000 tonnes in 2022 from 425 hectares under glass, yield 859 tonnes/ha
- Bell pepper production was 570,000 tonnes in 2022 from 650 hectares, average yield 877 tonnes/ha
- In 2022, Netherlands had 3.8 million dairy cows producing 14.1 billion kg milk
- Pig herd numbered 11.2 million heads in 2022, with 10.5 million slaughter pigs
- Poultry population reached 112 million in 2022, including 104 million broilers
- In 2022, Netherlands dairy farms numbered 14,200 with average 285 cows each
- Milk production per farm averaged 2.5 million kg in 2022
- Cheese production totaled 920,000 tonnes in 2022, 80% Gouda type
- Agricultural land area in Netherlands was 1.82 million hectares in 2022, 54% of total land
- Grassland occupied 930,000 hectares in 2022, 51% of ag land
- Arable land totaled 442,000 hectares in 2022, 24% of ag land
The Netherlands is a top agricultural exporter excelling in high-yield crops, dairy, and innovative greenhouse horticulture.
Dairy Production
- In 2022, Netherlands dairy farms numbered 14,200 with average 285 cows each
- Milk production per farm averaged 2.5 million kg in 2022
- Cheese production totaled 920,000 tonnes in 2022, 80% Gouda type
- Butter output was 190,000 tonnes from 1.4 billion kg milk in 2022
- Milk powder production reached 220,000 tonnes in 2022, mainly skim
- Yogurt and fresh products used 2.5 billion kg milk in 2022
- Dairy export value hit €8.5 billion in 2022
- Cow somatic cell count averaged 150,000/ml in 2022
- Robotic milking systems on 40% of dairy farms in 2022
- Milk fat content averaged 4.25% in 2022 deliveries
- Protein content in milk was 3.55% average in 2022
- Dairy calf meat production 250,000 tonnes in 2022
- Farm gate milk price averaged €0.48/kg in 2022
- Organic dairy cows numbered 200,000 in 2022, 5% of total
- Manure production per dairy cow was 22 tonnes/year in 2022
- Cheese export volume 750,000 tonnes in 2022
- Milk processing capacity totaled 20 billion liters annually in 2022
- Dairy farm income averaged €180,000 per farm in 2022
- Lifetime milk yield per cow reached 35,000 kg in 2022
- Butter fat recovery rate 95% in processing 2022
- Skim milk powder yield 13% from whole milk in 2022
- Drinking milk production 1.8 billion liters packaged in 2022
- Dairy cooperative membership covered 95% of production in 2022
- Milk urea content averaged 22 mg/dl in 2022
- Cheese ripening storage capacity 500,000 tonnes in 2022
- Dairy semen use for AI totaled 5 million doses in 2022
Dairy Production Interpretation
The Netherlands has perfected the art of turning grass, grit, and gadgetry into a global dairy empire, proving that efficiency is the true cheese of the Dutch economic engine.
Economics and Trade
- Agricultural exports from Netherlands totaled €122 billion in 2022
- Number of agricultural holdings was 50,400 in 2022, down 3% from 2021
- Total agricultural output value €45 billion in 2022
- Farm income (EAA) averaged €85,000 per holding in 2022
- Horticulture sector revenue €22 billion in 2022, 50% of ag total
- Livestock sector gross value €18 billion in 2022
- Subsidy payments to farmers totaled €2.5 billion in 2022
- Agricultural labor force 250,000 full-time equivalents in 2022
- Machinery investment €3.2 billion in 2022
- Flower exports valued €3.5 billion in 2022
- Vegetable exports €7.8 billion in 2022
- Meat exports totaled €8.2 billion in 2022, mainly pork
- Dairy exports €8.5 billion as noted earlier, but trade balance +€7.9B
- Potato exports €1.2 billion volume 2.5M tonnes in 2022
- Agri-food trade surplus €50 billion in 2022
- Average farm size 36 hectares in 2022
- Greenhouse horticulture output €15 billion in 2022
- Fertilizer costs rose 40% to €2.5B in 2022
- Energy costs for ag €4.1 billion in 2022, up 50%
- Organic ag sales €1.8 billion in 2022
- Pig farm revenue average €2.5M per farm in 2022
- Dairy farm costs per 100kg milk €35 in 2022
- Crop protection spending €450 million in 2022
- Irrigation investment €150 million in 2022
- Agribusiness turnover €100 billion in 2022
Economics and Trade Interpretation
With 3% fewer farmers managing to generate a staggering trade surplus that could probably buy its own windmill, the Netherlands proves it's not the size of the farm in the fight, but the size of the fight—and the efficiency—in the farm.
Field Crops
- In 2022, the Netherlands harvested 6,782,000 tonnes of potatoes from 68,200 hectares of land, achieving an average yield of 99.4 tonnes per hectare
- Dutch potato production in 2021 totaled 5,112,000 tonnes, down 25% from 2020 due to weather impacts, with seed potatoes accounting for 25% of output
- In 2023, sugar beet production reached 6.2 million tonnes from 73,000 hectares, yielding 85 tonnes/ha
- Wheat production in the Netherlands was 1,057,000 tonnes in 2022 from 24,500 hectares at 43.2 tonnes/ha yield
- Barley output stood at 284,000 tonnes in 2022 from 11,200 hectares, with winter barley dominating 80% of area
- Onion production hit 1,010,000 tonnes in 2022 from 21,900 hectares, export-oriented with 90% shipped abroad
- Carrot cultivation yielded 520,000 tonnes from 8,000 hectares in 2022, average yield 65 tonnes/ha
- In 2021, rye production was 12,000 tonnes from 1,800 hectares, mainly for animal feed
- Flax fiber production reached 8,000 tonnes in 2022 from 3,500 hectares, high-quality for textiles
- Green pea harvest was 85,000 tonnes from 4,200 hectares in 2022, yield 20.2 tonnes/ha
- Seed potato exports from Netherlands totaled 300,000 tonnes in 2022, valued at €400 million
- In 2023, rapeseed production was 145,000 tonnes from 9,000 hectares, yield 16.1 tonnes/ha
- Oat production amounted to 45,000 tonnes in 2022 from 3,200 hectares
- Cauliflower output reached 70,000 tonnes from 1,500 hectares in 2022, yield 46.7 tonnes/ha
- In 2021, triticale harvest was 25,000 tonnes from 2,100 hectares
- Bean production totaled 12,000 tonnes from 1,200 hectares in 2022
- In 2022, Dutch farmers grew 15,000 tonnes of chicory roots from 2,500 hectares, yield 6 tonnes/ha
- Silage maize production was 9.5 million tonnes from 145,000 hectares in 2022, yield 65.5 tonnes/ha
- Grain maize output reached 1.8 million tonnes from 22,000 hectares in 2022
- In 2023, potato acreage decreased by 5% to 65,000 hectares due to disease pressures
- Sugar beet yield averaged 88 tonnes/ha in 2022, up 10% from prior year
- Wheat exports from Netherlands were 750,000 tonnes in 2022
- Onion storage capacity in Netherlands exceeds 2 million tonnes annually
- In 2022, 40% of Dutch potato production was for French fries processing
- Carrot exports totaled 400,000 tonnes in 2022, mainly to Europe
- Rye acreage declined 15% in 2022 to 1,500 hectares
- Flax production focused on 90% fiber quality varieties in 2022
- Green pea processing output was 70% of harvest in 2022
- Rapeseed used 70% for biofuel in Dutch production 2022
- Oat consumption 80% for animal feed in Netherlands 2022
Field Crops Interpretation
The Netherlands, while roughly the size of Connecticut, farms with the industrial might of a continent, transforming every precious hectare into a torrent of potatoes, onions, and carrots for the world, proving that agricultural genius isn't about having more land but knowing exactly what to do with it.
Horticultural Crops
- Tomato production in Dutch greenhouses reached 910,000 tonnes in 2022 from 930 hectares, yield 979 tonnes/ha
- Cucumber output totaled 365,000 tonnes in 2022 from 425 hectares under glass, yield 859 tonnes/ha
- Bell pepper production was 570,000 tonnes in 2022 from 650 hectares, average yield 877 tonnes/ha
- Flower bulb cultivation area was 22,000 hectares in 2022, producing 1.8 billion tulip bulbs
- Cut chrysanthemum production reached 1.2 billion stems in 2022 from 450 hectares
- Strawberry production under glass was 140,000 tonnes in 2022 from 250 hectares
- Mushroom output totaled 225,000 tonnes in 2022, 95% from compost facilities
- Sweet pepper exports were 500,000 tonnes in 2022, 85% from greenhouses
- Tulip exports amounted to 400 million bulbs in 2022, valued at €250 million
- Lettuce production reached 420,000 tonnes in 2022 from 1,200 hectares
- Rose cultivation produced 350 million stems in 2022 under 200 hectares glass
- Eggplant output was 45,000 tonnes from 55 hectares in 2022, yield 818 tonnes/ha
- Open-field strawberry harvest totaled 110,000 tonnes from 3,500 hectares in 2022
- Lily bulb production was 500 million units in 2022 from 1,500 hectares
- Greenhouse lettuce yield averaged 250 tonnes/ha in 2022
- Cut flower auction sales through FloraHolland reached 12 billion stems in 2022
- Gherkin production was 180,000 tonnes from 200 hectares glass in 2022
- Hyacinth bulbs exported 150 million in 2022
- Tomato greenhouse energy use averaged 200 m3 gas per tonne in 2022
- Cucumber exports totaled 300,000 tonnes in 2022 to EU markets
- Bell pepper greenhouse area increased 5% to 650 ha in 2022
- Flower bulb export value was €1.1 billion in 2022
- Mushroom compost production supported 250,000 tonnes output in 2022
- Strawberry high-wire systems covered 80% of glass area in 2022
- Chrysanthemum greenhouse yield was 2.7 million stems/ha in 2022
- Lettuce iceberg variety dominated 60% of production in 2022
Horticultural Crops Interpretation
The Netherlands has clearly decided that if you can't expand outwards, the only logical move is to grow upwards with such ruthless efficiency that each square meter of soil is now engaged in a high-stakes, multi-level game of vegetable Tetris to feed and beautify Europe.
Land Use
- Agricultural land area in Netherlands was 1.82 million hectares in 2022, 54% of total land
- Grassland occupied 930,000 hectares in 2022, 51% of ag land
- Arable land totaled 442,000 hectares in 2022, 24% of ag land
- Greenhouse area reached 10,300 hectares in 2022, mainly horticulture
- Fallow land was 15,000 hectares in 2022, 0.8% of ag land
- Permanent crops covered 22,000 hectares in 2022
- Peat soil used for agriculture 150,000 hectares in 2022, 8% of ag land
- Irrigation covered 200,000 hectares in 2022, mainly horticulture
- Organic farmland was 243,000 hectares in 2022, 13% of total ag land
- Clay soil dominated 60% of arable land in 2022
- Sandy soil ag use 250,000 hectares in 2022
- Land drainage systems protected 1.5 million ha in 2022
- Hedgerows and windbreaks covered 5,000 km on farms in 2022
- Nature-inclusive farming on 50,000 ha in 2022
- Precision agriculture tech on 70% of arable farms in 2022
- Crop rotation included legumes on 20% of arable land 2022
- Greenhouse soil-less growing 85% of area in 2022
- Flood-prone polder land 300,000 ha managed in 2022
- Agri-environment schemes paid €500 million for 400,000 ha in 2022
- Farmland birds index declined 20% from 1990 to 2022
- Soil organic matter averaged 3.5% on grassland 2022
- Arable land per farm averaged 45 ha in 2022
- Greenhouse expansion limited to 500 ha/year since 2018 to 2022
- Peat meadow subsidence 1 cm/year average in 2022
- Cover crops used on 60% of winter fields in 2022
Land Use Interpretation
Despite being one of the world's most densely populated countries, the Netherlands has ingeniously turned over half its land into a high-tech, tightly-managed agricultural powerhouse, where greenhouses are soilless, precision farming is the norm, and even the cows graze on carefully measured and monitored peat meadows that are literally sinking under their own productivity.
Livestock Production
- In 2022, Netherlands had 3.8 million dairy cows producing 14.1 billion kg milk
- Pig herd numbered 11.2 million heads in 2022, with 10.5 million slaughter pigs
- Poultry population reached 112 million in 2022, including 104 million broilers
- Beef cattle stock was 3.9 million heads in 2022, 50% dairy breeds
- Sheep numbers totaled 1.2 million in 2022, mainly for meat
- Goat herd was 370,000 heads in 2022, 90% for milk
- Horse population for agriculture was 45,000 in 2022
- Turkey production totaled 120,000 tonnes meat in 2022 from 20 million birds
- Duck meat output was 85,000 tonnes in 2022
- Pig meat production reached 2.1 million tonnes carcass weight in 2022
- Broiler meat production was 1.05 million tonnes in 2022
- Dairy cow milk yield averaged 8,900 kg per cow in 2022
- Sow productivity was 32.5 piglets per litter in 2022
- Broiler growth rate achieved 1.75 kg in 38 days average in 2022
- Calf production from dairy herds was 1.9 million in 2022
- Sheep lambing rate was 1.6 lambs per ewe in 2022
- Goat milk yield per doe averaged 950 liters in 2022
- Pig farm average herd size was 3,200 heads in 2022
- Poultry farm density reached 250,000 birds per farm average in 2022
- Beef carcass weight averaged 320 kg in 2022
- Turkey slaughter age reduced to 18 weeks in 2022 for efficiency
- Duck farm integration with pig manure use covered 40% in 2022
- Dairy heifer replacement rate was 35% in 2022
- Piglet weaning weight averaged 7.5 kg at 26 days in 2022
- Broiler feed conversion ratio improved to 1.45 in 2022
- Sheep meat production totaled 15,000 tonnes in 2022
- Goat cheese production used milk from 300,000 does in 2022
- Cattle methane emissions per kg milk fell 10% since 2010 to 2022
- Pig slurry production was 45 million m3 in 2022
- Poultry egg production reached 10.5 billion eggs in 2022
Livestock Production Interpretation
The Netherlands has become a dizzyingly efficient machine for protein, where every drop of milk, rasher of bacon, and roasted drumstick is engineered with such scientific precision that the very livestock seem to be consulting spreadsheets.
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