TRADE AND MARKETING Amazing ideas at busy Fruit Logistica wrote about that discussion. These talks broke down, however, with the fall of the last cabinet. I think that the discussion about pricing will no doubt return to the agenda at some point, but it may take at least another year because, at this point, prices for the grower are good. But when prices drop again there will, no doubt, be renewed discussion. The more so in view of the questions being asked here at European level. In just about every EU country, the income of the farmer is under pressure and a call for more openness in this matter is being heard. Moreover, an increasing number of consumers are asking the supermarkets whether ‘farmers are getting a fair price for their products’. It is then also a matter of whether or not the retail organisations and agricultural cooperatives raise this issue once again with the politicians in The Hague. If producers cannot keep their heads above water right now, who can? ‘Many aspects of the current farm management system will not change in the foreseeable future. The ship will only change course if changes are long term. Examples of this are business takeovers, large investments or a joining of forces with colleagues. So what can you do? We’ve already said that we are dealing here with a homogeneous product. And yet, it is also possible to set apart your bulk product from others. Let’s look at the production method, for example. You can decide to grow a product that is grown organically and in an environmentallyfriendly way. Show that you use less water, for example, or fewer plant protection products, less energy and fertiliser. This should be indicated by a label, it must be visible. By using modern technology such as board computers and GPS, this should not be difficult to demonstrate. Whoever invests in this will be in the lead. And supermarkets do take note of this. Environmentally-friendly products, that is how they can distinguish themselves because they are attractive to consumers.’ Would that mean that there is a role for retail organisations and cooperatives? ‘Absolutely, but it is also the task of the individual grower to start to work at it. It means that you need to go and sit round the table with colleagues who have the same ideas. But also with the buyers. The advantage of consultation with buyers in such matters is that you receive different information from the other side. The progression of marketing and price, for example. It is not without good reason that, in general, we see good farm results in the income figures at these farmers’ meetings. They know more and so they can respond and profit from that. What I can also tell the sector is that the government, information agencies such as DLV and WUR are currently busy setting up incentive programmes to establish study clubs. The object is for growers to form networks from which new initiatives can develop.’ But there is already an initiative like that in the sector isn’t it, the Wageningen Potato Centre in Westmaas? ‘That is indeed a wonderful initiative which has a place in this story. The only thing I regret is that there are still no growers in this club. It would be the ideal platform where they could arrive at new initiatives. That would be ideal, because other parties such as suppliers and buyers also meet in this centre. Many potato growers have the feeling that they will never be able to change anything with the fierceness of the powerful buyers. It makes it even more important to make sure that you’re present in places where you can meet up and have a say. We know from experience that people who invest in knowledge by being active in member councils, retail organisations and the like, are ultimately the survivors.’ Last year, you brought the potato growers in a time of crisis the good news that the demand for food in the world would go up. The sector has heard this prophecy before, but noticed very little actually happening. Why is that? ‘The demand for food has risen, because the number of mouths has increased in the world, and so has the purchasing power, also during the economic crisis. The rise in purchasing power is primarily taking place in Asia and China. What we also see, however, is that the food production per hectare has also rapidly increased. Not only have the Chinese shown that they could raise the yields per hectare in their own country, but they have also started to safeguard their food supply by land grabbing (buying fertile land outside their own borders, ed.). This purchase of land is not sufficient, however, to meet the growing demand for food and, partly as a result of the economic crisis, is seriously delayed. I think that this offers possibilities for the Dutch potato sector, particularly the seed potato sector. Sometimes, you don’t seem to be able to get anywhere in countries such as China, but they are also being faced with their limitations. They want to move forward very quickly, however, and they know that the Netherlands has a leading position in matters such as knowledge, cultivation and technology. If we want to sell to China and other Asian countries, without the fear of their copycatting our concepts, it is important that the entire Dutch potato sector approaches that market as a collective. I would like to give the sector the following advice: go on the offensive. If we don’t do anything and keep anxiously waiting, we will certainly lose our leading position. What we must not forget, however, is that we should carefully consider the wishes that growers and consumers have in that part of the world. We have the knowledge and expertise to respond to these wishes and we must convert that into hard cash. ● Leo Hanse Potato World 2011 • number 2 5 Pagina 4

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