In
the
Dutch
horticulture
and
agriculture
sectors,
scaling
up
is
still
a
common
term
and
also
an
ambition.
It
would
be
a
necessity
in
the
light
of
future-oriented
business.
In
NRC
(a
Dutch
newspaper)
WUR
former
professor
Jan
Douwe
van
der
Ploeg
criticizes
that
idea.
“We
had
a
business
model.
It
was
about
ongoing
scaling-up,
intensification,
specialization
and
market
conquest.
Viewed
properly,
that
model
is
bankrupt
because
Dutch
agriculture
and
animal
husbandry
encounter
ecological,
legal
and
financial
limits.
Nevertheless,
the
agricultural
sector
does
not
want
to
get
rid
of
it
at
all.
Instead,
growers
keep
looking
to
the
government:
guarantee
us
a
revenue
model.
Farmers,
they
were
self-reliant
entrepreneurs,
right?
Or
are
they
employed
by
the
government?”
The
former
professor
is
critical
of
the
cabinet
plans,
which
do
not
specify
‘new
business
models’.
According
to
him,
the
cabinet
is
mainly
committed
to
less
regulation,
relaxing
environmental
standards,
technological
solutions
to
pollution,
no
forced
shrinkage
of
livestock.
In
the
newspaper,
Van
der
Ploeg
argues
for
a
return
to
the
small
growers
of
old,
and
more
diversity
in
agribusiness.
In
other
words,
not
just
bigger
and
bigger
farms.
“It
quickly
sounds
nostalgic,
but
the
fascinating
thing
is
that
the
earning
capacity
of
smaller,
ecological
farmers
can
exceed
that
of
more
industrialized
agriculture.
It
does
require
more
labor,
but
there
are
fewer
investments
and
costs,
and
less
money
goes
to
suppliers,
for
fertilizers,
for
example.
At
first,
yields
are
lower,
but
with
knowledge
and
skill,
incomes
can
become
very
decent.”
Source:
NRC
(€)
Photo
index:
ID
54126852
©
Dennis
Van
De
Water
|
Dreamstime.com
