Dutch agricultural exports continue to grow, reaching an estimated 128.9 billion euro in 2024: a 4.8% increase compared to the previous year. Both import and export volumes showed a slight growth, while prices increased at a higher pace. This is reported by Wageningen Social & Economic Research (WSER) and Statistics Netherlands (CBS).
The growth is mainly due to the increase in exports within the European Union, with Germany as the primary market. A quarter of Dutch agricultural exports were destined for the German market in 2024, followed by Belgium, France and the UK. The report shows that almost two-thirds (65%) of agricultural goods exports are made up of Dutch-made products. This share also underlines the importance of the Dutch food industry within agricultural exports. The trade surplus (export value minus import value) of Dutch agricultural goods amounted to €42.8 billion.
Export top five
The top five of exported products includes dairy and eggs (12.3 billion euro), ornamental plants (11.9 billion euro), meat (10.7 billion euro), cocoa and cocoa preparations (9.9 billion euro) and potatoes and vegetables (8.9 billion euro). Together, these product groups account for almost 42% of the total export value.
In 2024, exports of agriculture-related goods, such as greenhouse materials and machinery, are estimated at €12.4 billion, up more than 4% from 2023. Germany, Belgium, the UK, France and the US are the top five export destinations, accounting for almost 50% of the total.
Imports also rise, but less strongly
Agricultural imports rose 3.2% to €86.1 billion. As with exports, cocoa, natural oils and fats as well as fruit were the main product groups. Cocoa imports in particular stand out, with an increase in value of over 60% compared to 2023. This is mainly due to higher prices due to scarcity caused by disappointing harvests and increased costs. Also notable is the rise in imports of grain, oilseeds and sunflower oil from Ukraine. Imports of agriculture-related goods are expected to fall by almost 4% to €5.5 billion.
Vulnerabilities in trade chains
The corona pandemic and the war in Ukraine have shown how vulnerable international trade chains can be. Often, the debate about disruptions in the supply of essential goods is about non-agricultural products, such as rare earth metals, solar panels or semiconductors, but this report looks specifically at Dutch agricultural imports. The Netherlands relies heavily on a small number of non-EU countries for some products, for example soybeans, palm oil and animal feed. Nonetheless, there are likely opportunities to diversify sourcing or to substitute these products with alternatives. Additional study is needed to further identify potential risks in strategic dependencies.
Conclusion
The Dutch agricultural sector remains the driving force behind Dutch exports and thus plays an important role in the economy. At the same time, challenges such as the ecological impact of trade in agricultural goods, the impact of Brexit, the war in Ukraine and other disruptions in the supply of essential goods remain important issues. The report provides valuable insights for policymakers and companies involved in agricultural trade.
Source of the figures
Every year, WSER and CBS estimate agricultural import and export figures, commissioned by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature (LVVN). At the time of issuing this publication, the final figures for 2024 were not yet available. As a result, an estimate was made for the missing months, based on the percentage change in the first 10 months of 2024 compared to 2023, combined with the actual figures for November and December 2023.
Definition of agricultural goods
Wageningen University & Research, CBS and the Ministry of LVVN have determined, in line with international classifications, which goods do and do not fall under the definition of agricultural goods. Agricultural goods trade in this instance concerns the first 24 chapters of international trade statistics, plus some agricultural goods from other chapters according to the Combined Nomenclature coding system (CN). Agricultural goods include unprocessed (primary) agricultural products such as pigs, apples, flowers, flower bulbs and tomatoes on the one hand, and processed (secondary) products such as cheese, chips, chocolate, beer, tomato ketchup and fruit juice on the other. Agriculture-related (tertiary) goods, such as agricultural machinery or fertilisers, fall outside the basic definition of agricultural exports, but are described in detail in the basic publication.
