Horticulture exports: 15.2 billion euro

In 2001 exports of horticultural products represented a value was 15.2 billion euro, one third more than in 1996, when this sector exported 11.4 billion euro of products. Horticulture is indeed now one of the Netherlands' most important export sectors. In 2001 it accounted for more than six percent of the total value of exports. The import value of horticulture products has risen by more than a quarter in the last five years to 6.2 billion euro. With a trade surplus of more than nine billion euro, therefore, the sector is also an important contributor to the total Dutch balance of trade of 23.7 billion euro.

Trade in horticultural products

Horticulture: important export sector

The total 15.2 billion euro of horticultural exports is more than twice the export value of natural and industrial gas, which was just under seven billion euro in 2001. Horticultural exports also amply exceeded exports of livestock products, which were worth 11.2 billion euro in 2001. Five years ago these differences were much smaller. The horticulture sector exported 11.4 billion euro worth of products, the livestock sector just under 10 billion euro worth.

Export value of horticultural products

Imports mostly fruit and vegetables With 6.1 billion euro, imports of horticultural products, too, are higher than imports of livestock products: 5.1 billion euro in 2001. Five years ago, this differences was also exactly one billion euro, but the import values were lower at 4.9 and 3.9 billion euro respectively. The most imported horticultural products are fruit and vegetables, with a total value of 4.6 billion euro.

Wiel Packbier