Toespraak van staatssecretaris Dijksma bij bedrijvenbijeenkomst op de Nederlandse ambassade in Mexico

Toespraak | 02-03-2015

Thank you, Ambassador Hogewoning, for your hospitality and for organising this meeting.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Señoras y señores,

If growing and exporting tomatoes were an Olympic sport, our countries would always win silver or gold. Originally from Meso-America, and cultivated extensively in Europe, the tomato is now a vital export product for both the Netherlands and Mexico. We take it in turns to top the tomato export rankings, but I believe the Netherlands is currently in first place. With Mexico a close second.

But our ties go much further …

•  Mexican avocados, melons, citrus fruits, chili peppers and maize – products grown in the open air or in Dutch-manufactured greenhouses – are exported to the Netherlands.
• Every day, ships cross the Atlantic Ocean, loaded with Dutch and Mexican products: Imports from Mexico to the Netherlands have doubled since the EU Mexico Free Trade Agreement in 2000. And Dutch exports to Mexico have increased fivefold.
• More than two thousand Dutch companies and investors are now active in Mexico.
• And more and more Dutch people are choosing Mexico as a holiday destination.

Dutch people love the Mexican mentality, food, weather and all the opportunities this country offers.

And there are lots of them.

Together with you, we want to make the most of these opportunities. Because we have a lot to offer each other. Especially when it comes to agriculture and horticulture.

The Netherlands is the world’s second biggest exporter of agricultural produce. Three quarters of all our produce is exported. For greenhouse crops, the figure stands at over 90%.

We grow a lot in a very small area. With so little land, Dutch farmers and researchers are always looking for ever more efficient production methods.

Our growers achieve the highest productivity per hectare. They are leading the way in energy efficiency, sustainable energy production and CO2 reduction. And our plant breeders and propagators provide the seeds for disease- and drought-resistant crops.

I’m delighted that Dutch expertise has helped boost Mexico’s strong agricultural sector.

In the Netherlands, we firmly believe that ‘you get out what you put in’. And that’s exactly what we’ve seen in recent years in the Mexican greenhouse horticulture sector. It has developed rapidly in the past decade and its global market success is continuing to increase.

This is partly thanks to MexiCultura – a partnership between our two countries. We want this programme to continue and have drafted a proposal to this effect. I will say more about this tomorrow during my visit to Agropark Querétaro.

Continuing the programme benefits both our countries. On top of that, our shared knowledge and potential will allow us to make a real contribution to global food security.

The world’s population is expected to exceed nine billion by 2050. To feed everyone, global food production will have to increase by at least 60 per cent. At the same time, we must do this in a way that doesn’t harm our planet. We must fulfil our threefold pledge to increase food production, enhance our resilience to climate change, and reduce emissions.

Another priority is reducing food losses and waste. In developing countries, almost 30 per cent of fresh produce spoils before it reaches the consumer. To address this pressing issue, an international conference on food waste will be held in the Netherlands in June. My Mexican counterpart, Secretary Martinez y Martinez, is warmly invited to attend.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Opportunities for increased cooperation aren’t limited to horticulture. The Netherlands and Mexico have lots to offer each other in other areas of agriculture too. Last summer, for instance, we signed a Partners for International Business covenant for the poultry sector. The next step is to compare poultry chains in Mexico and the Netherlands, and define areas for cooperation and improvement.

In addition, Wageningen University has drawn up a national agrilogistics plan for Mexico. This was the basis for the Agroparks now being established across the country. These parks have enormous potential. But I also know that the road to achieving this potential is by no means easy.

Speaking from my experience with the Dutch Greenports project, I can tell you that it requires long-term commitment. It needs a step-by-step approach. Businesses start to see more and more advantages and clusters steadily take shape. From production and delivery, to processing and sales. The government’s task is to facilitate progress and ensure high-quality infrastructure. Ten years after the project was launched, the Netherlands’ Greenports are some of the largest horticulture clusters in the world. Now there is scope for expansion, into areas like water storage and energy production, for instance.

The Netherlands wants to help speed up the development of Mexico’s Agroparks. I will be discussing this with Secretary Martinez y Martinez on Wednesday.

Another opportunity to increase our cooperation is the Holland Scholarship Programme, in which Wageningen University is also a partner. The programme recently started taking applications. Each year, grants will be awarded to 768 talented students from outside the European Economic Area, so they can study for a bachelor’s or master’s degree in the Netherlands. For instance, in agriculture at Wageningen.

Ladies and gentlemen,

There is a great deal that already links our 2 countries. And in the future, there will be even more. That’s why I’m delighted to be here this week. At a time of rapid developments, changing global markets, rising demand for high-quality food, and an increasing need for sustainability, our two countries have found excellent partners in one another.

Let’s roll up our sleeves and deepen our agriculture and horticulture partnership.

Or, as you say in Mexico: manos a la obra!

Thank you / Gracias.