Holland Compared

Agriculture & Food
Sector
World-leading supplier of agri-food products
• Holland is the world’s 2nd largest exporter of agricultural
products, after the USA. Together with the USA and Spain, Holland
is one of the top 3 exporters of vegetables and fruit.
• The total value of Dutch agricultural exports was 80.7 billion euros
in 2014.
• In 2012 the Dutch agri-food industry contributed 48.7 billion euros
of added value to Dutch GDP.
• The Netherlands is the largest exporter of tomatoes and potatoes
in the world. In 2013 the Dutch agrifood sector exported tomatoes
to the value of about 1.8 billion US dollars.
• Four out of the world’s top-30 food and beverage companies
WORDT Three out of the world’s top-25 food and beverage
companies.
• The Food Valley region, centred at Wageningen University and
Research Center, is one of the most authoritative agri-food and
nutrition research centres in Europe. Wageningen University
occupies the first place in the European ranking, and the second
place worldwide in the QS World University Rankings by Subject
2014, in the category Agriculture & Forestry.
• NIZO food research owns the largest food testing pilot plant in
Europe and is open to the entire food and ingredient industry.
• Holland is one of the world’s leading developers and
manufacturers of food processing machinery. Dutch industry
produces 80% of the world’s capacity of poultry processing
machinery, and a substantial amount of cheese production
machinery.
• Dutch agricultural entrepreneurs use efficient and sustainable
production systems and processes, resulting in a productivity that
is five times higher than the European average.
• Amsterdam is the largest cocoa port in the world.
TOP SECTORS IN FOCUS 49