Market concentration, low expansion of surfaces and pressure as a result of high energy prices are typical for the present state of the Dutch horticultural sector. The latest figures of the Dutch horticultural association on the production year 2005 show that the number of horticultural companies is shrinking constantly whereas the individual companies are becoming larger and larger. Thus, 1,960 companies are at present growing greenhouse vegetables on a total surface of almost 4,500 ha. Tomatoes continue to be the variety of vegetable cultivated most. In the past year, the growing area expanded by 3.2 % to almost 1,400 ha. In the tomato segment, stem tomatoes were at the top of the list with a surface of almost 1,000 ha (7.2% more than in 2004). These were followed by loose tomatoes with almost 400 ha and cherry tomatoes with 84 ha. In bell pepper growing, too, the surfaces rose to 1,235 ha (2% more than in 2004). Red bell peppers were grown on 50% of the production surface, followed by yellow ones (approx. 300 ha) and green ones (approx. 220 ha). The growing area for cucumbers grew by only 1.6% to a total of 630 ha and that for aubergines to 90 ha (+ 1.1 %).
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