Horticulture in Holland: 2009

donderdag 26 november 2009

Ultra modern greenhouse based on the Royal London Botanical Gardens. Total coverage is 12 hectare production and 2 hectare distribution and affices. Specialized in breeding and production of anthuriums.

VNO-NCW presentation at Anthura

The entrepreneur organisation VNO-NCW organized the anual member meeting at Anthura, one of worlds largest anthurium breeders. The greenhouse was inspired by the Royal London Botanical Gardens. The curved walls are strong, efficient ans also very beautiful from architectural point of view.

Anthura super modern greenhouse with curved walls

Lovely anthuriums

VNO-NCW tour at Anthura

zondag 22 november 2009

Grodan symposium: Modern solutions for modern challanges

The Grodan symposium 'Modern solutions, modern challanges' was attented by an interesting audience. The high lights, my remarkts and suggestions are:
• Invest in consumer data and less in technological development
• Get in touch with their emotions and mindset.
• Introduce passion in marketing but also in the daily production business.
• Stop thinking that The Netherlands are frontrunner in sustainability issues.
• Talk with supermarkets -as was suggested- regarding earning more money is a waste of time.
• High tech greenhouse but low tech offices: what to do about that?
• The commodity trap is reality in fresh produce as wel in floristry.
• Industrialize the chain is the advice or be different (look beyond the product).
• Product innovation costs too much time in crisis times, so don't do that.
• A niche strategy seems interesting but followers will commiditize the niche too soon.
Most interesting quote from Berenschot: "Horticulture will be the supplier of Vion".

donderdag 19 november 2009

Sustainable landscape and economic developments

The Hof van Delflandraad is a co-opration between local and regional governamental organizations. The goal is to join forces in order to develop the beautiful country between Delft and Rotterdam. Development means with a sustainable perspective and with a close collaboration with entrepreneurs.

vrijdag 13 november 2009

Beautiful Vanda orchids

Realy beautiful Vanda Orchids. Difficult to grow and a great pleasure to market (and buy).

Fully automated greenhouse

No manual labour in this greenhouse. This fully automated robotcar picks up tables with the plants from th greenhouse and transports it to the logistic area.

vrijdag 16 oktober 2009

Transparant chains with TeleFlower Auction (TFA)

donderdag 15 oktober 2009

Magic Priva computer

Crowded at Horti Fair House of Software

Anco Orchideën op FloraHolland Trade Fair

dinsdag 13 oktober 2009

Horti-Fair House of Software: Interaction with the government

maandag 12 oktober 2009

Schoneveld Breeding symposium met Rob Verlinden

donderdag 1 oktober 2009

Crisis: a V-, W- or WWW-shape?

(This post is directly translated from my Dutch Blog with Microsoft Translator)

What form did the crisis? Vee with a rapid decline and fast recovery, or more slowly with the u-shape? Or is it details or kwakkelen? As far as the latter is concerned, I throw the www shape in the battle. I believe that this is the best reality at the moment, and that the next few years will be similar.

I base myself on figures, facts in my neighborhood, and feeling. Various indexes have a kwakkelend pattern. The Baltic-dry was this week, for example, in the news. This displays the price development of dry bulk shipments (z.a. iron ore and grain) by sea. After a successful recovery is the beginning of this year has fallen dramatically in recent weeks. Furthermore, the 2-year volatility of options is still very great. The fine Google barometer also has considerable fluctuations.

Do you know, moreover, this Google barometer. Google analyzes the specified search words and categorize them. If there is a change taking place in search of second-hand cars rather than new than that on a koopkrachtvermindering. Something similar applies for jobs or koopbereidheid. I think that this is a very good reflection of the real state of the economy. The mass, the information is reliable.

Other figures are the bekendere such as consumer confidence, GDP, or percentage of unemployment. As far as the latter is concerned, in the last month of job losses in the private sector, and any profits in the public sector (care and Government). The increased productivity is something, but that is because the stocks. China has made an enormous amount of catching up to do after a difficult 2008 but also decreases the iron ore imports once again.

The incentive package goes to the Government at a given time. Interesting comparison with the crisis years 30. The Government also strongly encouraged the economy and the growth recovered rapidly from 1934. In 1936 the Government all stimukeringen back and increased even the interest rate. The result was disastrous, because the economy collapsed back in and recovered until vraagtoename as a result of the second world war. That will not happen but the rising unemployment for a dip in 2 years purchasing power. This is again all sectors, including the horticultural industry.

What I see in my (Horticultural) environment:
- Which are relatively significant in the tuinbouwsector: the EUR 200 million from Verburg if some bridging financing for farmers.
- Many bankruptcies in spite of the messages of FloraHolland that it is all right.
- Investment are coming to the base. Up to 20% for new construction, compared to other years.
- Technical subcontractors, who have lost (closure of Logic Agro) and others who are strong restructuring (Codema, Priva and others)
- Press collective funds such as 20% less for the flowers agency Holland.
- The Rabobank with 1 billion uncollectable Honourable loans in the horticultural industry.
- Flowers from Africa are sharply in the min.
- The horticulture in emerging areas of production in Europe is significantly less severely hit by the crisis.

It is my feeling that the economic laws have changed considerably in the horticultural industry. Horticulture has always been a little anti-cyclical. It was in the economy is bad then the flowers and plants typically prices. Save on vacation but flowers in the home for the conviviality. There is an oversupply in global terms not. A possible shift of global product flows to more local4local is under way. Mega-companies that tomatoes from left to right across Europe, transport to customers will get the more difficult than companies closer to the consumer. In addition, the desire for sustainable produced goods (incl. horticultural products) that the question of stronger goes hand in hand with consumer trends. In other words of anti-cyclically to a more cyclical economic structure.

To summarise, the shape of the crisis is a long w: www shape as it were. Some say that the crisis is an opportunity. Naturally, I am an optimist. But we must be agile -and I also- in any case.

donderdag 24 september 2009

Horti Fair symposium

Interesting symposium themed Sustainability. All parties came together in the FloraHolland auction location Rijnsburg.

donderdag 17 september 2009

Top economist Jaap van Duijn about the crisis and horticulture

Interesting speech of general economic developments but also a little bit horticultural history. He said that this isn't the first crisis in glasshorticulture:

1815-1830 (the Frensh period)
1880:the first grape crisis
1930: the great depression
1950-1960: the end of the grape industry in Holland due to the new EEG
the energy crisis in the 70-ties
second energycrisis and also expensive labour in the beginning of the 80-ties
2008-2011: financial crisis

The relation China-Europe-USA where mentioned by Van Duijn. China is in the lead. Note: Nobody speaks about the currancy powerplay between China and the USA. My question still is: Is China also in the lead on this aspect?

The time of mega scale glasshorticultural companies of over 50hecares is over. The future is more focussed on local-for-local and short distances to the customer. Personelly is think he is right and the consumer will also be more and more interested in sustainable fresh produce. And that goes beyond niche certicifiates like MPS or biological crop protection.

Secretary of International trade Frank Heemskerk at entrepreneurs meeting

The third tuesday in september is national budgetday in Holland. The government presents the financial plans for the next year. The secretary explained the headlines. Good news for entrepreneurs, stable purchasing powers for households, but drastic crisiss financial measurments are posponed.

dinsdag 15 september 2009

Modern Dutch greenhouses

Nice modern greenhouse in a green open meadow landscape. Traditional Dutch landscape combines businesses and recreation.

Old Dutch grape greenhouse is history

The last remains of an 50 year old Dutch grape greenhouse has been removed. It become history. This place is called the 'Maaslandse dam', a new to be developed area. Old greenhouses are removed and a the new development will be sustainable, small scaled business and a potential production area of regional products. The local governement Midden-Delfland has givven the commission to the association Groen-Goud to coach local entrepeneurs. A collaborative development plan will be born soon.

vrijdag 4 september 2009

Fleura Aalsmeer: floristry cash&carry outlets

Fleura is one of the leading flower trading companies in Europe. headquarters in Aalsmeer, near the flower auction. Every day the company supplies fresh flowers and plants to hundreds of outlets in Europe.

Delta Hotel Vlaardingen/Rotterdam

Perfect meetingplace. Good ambiance and not horti. Dynamic Rotterdam harbour scene.

zaterdag 22 augustus 2009

How green are the logistics of producers association Quality Queen?

Impressive logistics centre of the Dutch producers association Quality Queen situated in the Westland area. No doubt that is well organized and super efficient. But how about sustainability?

Hampie Flowers De Lier

Just a nice view in the greenhouse in the Westland area.

zondag 16 augustus 2009

JM Fleurs in Blois Frankrijk

donderdag 6 augustus 2009

Bouquet Letterbox flowers

The letterbox flowers are lasting long.

Letterbox flowers

The letterbox flowers are an interesting concept. A special packaging fits in every letterbox and the plastic is perforated to optimize the ratio of gases. The result is a long lasting bouquet for a reasonable price.