The Dutch greenhouse area has decreased to 8,960 hectares. This makes the area lower than ever. This decrease is fully due to the Dutch floriculture, which decreased by 300 ha, compared to last year, and is now on 3520 hectares. The area of vegetables under glass is about to reach the record level of 2010/2011.
Dutch floriculture acreage in ha. (Blue: horticulture under glass, orange: bedding plants, gray: pot plants, yellow: cut flowers)
The figures are from the CBS (the Dutch Central Statistical Office). In these figures a prognosis for 2017 was also included. In a nutshell, the decrease in floriculture is mainly in cut flowers. Pot and bedding plants are also decreasing, but much more slowly.
Dutch cut flower acreage in ha. (From left to right: anthurium, freesia, gerbera, lily, orchid, rose, other.)
In cut flowers, the chrysanthemums seem to be squeezed, with a decrease of 50 hectares. Orchids and roses, with 30 ha each are also decreasing. It also isn't looking good for the diversity of the assortment as the 'other' flowers are decreasing by over a quarter.
Vegetables
Most vegetables are reasonably stable: 10 hectare less aubergines, 20 hectares more cucumbers, 20 hectares less peppers and 30 hectares more tomatoes.
Striking are the records that are being broken. The area of covered strawberry cultivation is towards 400 ha (330ha under glass and 70 tunnels). The plant growers have also done their best in recent years. They have reached an area of 500 hectares this year.
Side note
A small side note is needed. Due to increasingly efficient production less area is needed and a large company is often relatively more efficient than a number of smaller ones, which may take up the same area. Multiple layer cultivation is also an option, and increasingly common in, for instance, orchids.