At 1.8 million tons, the gross greenhouse vegetable yields in the Netherlands were 7.9% lower in 2022 than a year before.
The gross yield of greenhouse vegetables in the Netherlands fell 7.9% to 1.8 million tons in 2022 compared to a year earlier. CBS figures show that for almost all vegetable crops cultivated in greenhouses, yields per hectare decreased, especially those of tomatoes (-12.5%) and cucumbers (-9.1%). This decline is mainly related to high energy prices. Gross eggplant yields, however, rose.
Last year's 770 million kilos of tomatoes were 110 million kilograms less than in 2021. For cucumbers, that was 400 million kilograms, 40 million kilograms less than in 2021. High energy prices delayed the start of these crops' cultivation, which also ended earlier.
Those high prices did not affect bell pepper and eggplant yields as much. The statisticians report that these crops are easier to grow energy efficiently in winter.
Gross yields higher than ten years ago
Nonetheless, in 2022, with a 5.4% increase, greenhouse vegetable crops' gross yields are higher than ten years ago. That of particularly eggplants (+40.4%) and bell peppers (+26.1%) increased during that period, while that of tomatoes fell by 4.3%.
Tomatoes' yield/hectare is down 11%
Last year, at 365 tons, greenhouse vegetable crops yielded 7.6% less per hectare than a year before. Tomatoes' hectare yields fell by 11%, while for cucumbers, it decreased by 7.3%. For tomatoes, that decline is similar to the ten-year decrease of 10.9%. Of the main vegetables in greenhouse horticulture, the hectare yield of eggplant increased the most compared to 2012 (11.7%).
More bell pepper greenhouse cultivation acreage, in particular
With an acreage of roughly 5,000 hectares in 2022, greenhouse vegetable acreage is the same size as in 2021. That is 2.1% more than in 2012. That area has increased since then, especially for bell pepper and eggplant cultivation, both approximately 26%. At 7.3%, tomato greenhouse cultivation acreage grew less.
Of the total greenhouse vegetable farming area in 2022, 36.5% was reserved for tomato cultivation and 33.1% for growing bell peppers. At 2.7%, eggplants occupied much less of that space.
Fewer greenhouse vegetable farms
On April 1, 2022, there were 1,169 Dutch greenhouse vegetable cultivation companies. That is 6.4% less than in 2021. Ten years ago, there were 433 (-27.2%) fewer of those farms. The number of companies active in growing tomatoes has decreased most since then, by 32.6%. But there are fewer cucumber (-26.9%) and bell pepper (-25.7 percent) farms too.
Of the companies growing vegetables under glass, in 2022, most were involved in tomato cultivation (19.2%). Bell peppers (18.4%) and cucumbers (15.9%) followed.
Strawberries
On April 3, the CBS updated its 2021 figures and added the final 2022 figures. It did the same for open-field crops and, for example, covered strawberry crops. Here the 2022 harvest in millions of kilograms was higher than in 2021 (67.2 million kg versus 65.9 million in 2021). Acreage was 568 hectares in 2022, according to the CBS. That is six hectares less than in 2021.
Source: CBS