2025 has been designated the International Year of Cooperatives, with the UN aiming to highlight the strength and impact of this business model. "In the fruit and vegetable sector, Belgium is still very much a country of cooperatives," says Luc Vanoirbeek of the VBT. That's reason enough for the experienced sector professional to underline the importance of the cooperative.
"In the EU's vision for the future, cooperatives are set to play a key role in the sector, focusing on two core aspects: empowering producers and supporting risk management," he explains. "When you consider the position of producers in the supply chain, cooperatives play a broad role. Most importantly, they help streamline producers' efficiency. Cooperatives exist to support producers. We manage logistics processes such as packaging, distribution, and transport, allowing producers to focus on what they do best: growing quality produce."
"The second aspect is cost reduction," Luc continues. "Thanks to the cooperation of 2,900 members across all cooperatives in Belgium, we've become large enough to benefit from economies of scale—not just in sales volumes, but also in logistics. It also strengthens our negotiating power. As an agricultural country, we're significant, but on the European stage, we're still relatively small players individually. So what leverage do you have with large buyers? That's why it's so important to prevent producers from being played off against each other or competing internally. These are three crucial aspects of how cooperatives strengthen producers' positions in the supply chain."
"Another benefit of working together in cooperatives is the ability to invest in environmentally friendly initiatives. In Europe, cooperatives and producer organisations are required to allocate 15% of their budget to environmental measures. An additional 2% must go towards research and development. These commitments help strengthen public support. That's a key priority we are pursuing alongside the cooperatives."
Climate crisis
The other major area of focus from the EU is risk management. "I was in Valencia recently, and we all know what happened there last year. The climate crisis isn't coming—it's already here. We saw serious problems in Poland, Germany, Austria, and Spain, and flooding in northern France. The climate crisis is a very alarming issue, and it will be a major challenge for cooperatives to take steps in risk management. But by working together, we can deliver tailor-made solutions."
"To give a concrete example, Belgium and the Netherlands need to rethink their approach to water management. There's no shortage, but the availability is highly unpredictable. Right now, we're at risk of drought if the current trend continues—but just two months ago, we were dealing with floods. The reliable patterns of summer and winter are gone. Everything is interconnected. Our role is to be constantly available to help a very diverse group of producers navigate these challenges."
"These are all reasons why cooperatives still have a vital role to play today. Belgium remains a leader in this area. Of course, no system is perfect, so we have to work hard every day to keep improving. But I believe cooperatives have many strengths that make them future-proof for producers. I recently heard someone say, 'Cooperatives are good for the world, but the world just doesn't know it yet.' I think that's the perfect way to put it."
For more information:
Luc Vanoirbeek
Verbond van Belgische Tuinbouwcoöperaties (VBT)
luc.vanoirbeek@vbt.eu
www.vbt.eu