Dutch Organic Farming to See Increase

"In 2007, Dutch consumers spent 13.3 percent more on organic produce than the year before. To satisfy the increasing demand, the number of certified organic farms and market gardening companies is continuing to grow, with 2.5 percent of Dutch agricultural land given over to organic farming at present. Simone van den Ham, author of Desire and Reality, has researched the issue.

Organic shopping"In 2007, 2.5 percent of Dutch farming land was organic. That's not much when you consider that the, albeit optimistic, target is 10 percent by 2010. That 10 percent should give us a reasonably buoyant sector." The Netherlands started to use artificial fertilizers around 1900 in order to increase production, rather early compared to neighbouring countries. This followed a crisis in the agrarian sector. Pesticides were introduced after the Second World War. People were determined never again to go hungry and were intent on bumping up production still further."

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