Netherlands: Expected growth of organic market share is not forthcoming

The annual trend report by Bionext, the trade association of the organic sector in the Netherlands, shows a slight but steady growth in the organic fruit and vegetable market in 2020. The market share increased to 4.48% from 4.38% in the previous year, with a turnover of €210 million, up from €181 million in 2019. Despite this growth, the report highlights a significant barrier to organic consumption in the Netherlands as high price, with 65% of households expressing interest in purchasing more organic produce if it were less expensive. The organic agricultural area in the Netherlands expanded by 7.1% in 2020, covering 4.1% of the total agricultural land, but still falls short of the EU average. Bionext's director, Michaël Wilde, emphasizes the need for improved communication about organic products and a reduction in the price gap between conventional and organic products to increase market share. The Dutch government is developing a National Strategic Plan to further support organic agriculture, which is expected to be released in the first or second quarter of 2022.