ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS, THE CONSEQUENCES FOR DUTCH BULB PRODUCTION

To improve the quality of the environment, in particular the quality of water resources, the Government of the Netherlands, local authorities and the bulb industry have come to an agreement about regulations for bulb growing farms to reduce emission of pesticides and fertilizers.
This agreement gives bulb farmers time to adapt new ideas and change their farming practices on a cost-efficient basis, whereas the authorities profit from the united efforts of all parties involved to realize their targets to improve the environment.
Part of this agreement is a study of the economic consequences for the bulb growing farms of the compulsory regulations.
The study concludes that on the bulb farms considerable investments are necessary and that production per ha may decrease.
It is conclude that in particular on small bulb farms and on farms with mixed crops, bulb production will be less profitable.
This will considerably accelerate the process of large-scale production of bulbs in the Netherlands.

VII International Symposium on Flowerbulbs

C.O.N. De Vroomen

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1997.430.30