The Dutch fruit and vegetable growing sector is a perfect example for other countries. Old traditions and an extensive experience are combined with high level technologies. Efficiency is the most characteristic trait of the Dutch horticultural sector. Although the total production area and the number of people working in the horticultural sector are decreasing, productivity is still improving. The most successfully developing segment is the growing of fresh fruits and vegetables in glasshouses. In 2007 a total of 4.35 billion kg of fresh fruits and vegetables was produced, amounting to a value of 2.46 billion euro. This is 12% higher than a year before. This result can be attributed to the increasing size of the companies as well as the growing intensity and increasing export of Dutch products. The Dutch export has of course an advantage because of the geographic location. The Dutch growers are producing quality products which conform to the strict EU quality regulations, and are using EU standards. This makes their products very competitive.
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