"Our aim is for organic to be the norm by 2030"

Jan Groen of Green Organics recently stood beaming next to King Willem-Alexander in a group photo taken at the economic trade mission in Italy. "And believe me, it's a good thing that the Royal couple joined the trade mission. Doors, that would have remained closed, were opened."

The director and founder of Green Organics has taken on a more administrative role over the years. He is the Chairman of Bio Nederland, has a seat on Bionext's supervisory board, and he is chairman of the Bio-commerce committee at GroentenFruit Huis. "I have freed myself from the day-to-day running of the office. This means I have more time to spend on these managerial tasks. It is important to me that our opinions are heard and I enjoy doing this."

This doesn't mean Jan does not stay abreast of the daily running of the business, but he also realises that the organic spinach and peas get harvested and find their way to their clients, without his interference. "It is by taking part in events like this commerce mission that I learnt that the organic sector grows the fastest in countries where it is supported by the government. Take France, for example, where they even appointed a minister to oversee environmental change. It is also compulsory for Italian school canteens to serve organic food. This creates enormous opportunities for our sector."

Conversion group
"France and Italy are taking the greatest strides when it comes to the organic sector. This sector is also continuing to grow in Scandinavia and Germany. The sales of organic products is also good in the Netherlands. The area used for organic farming remains a challenge for us. We can supply a lot more than we can grow. It is especially difficult to fill the demand for organic peas, spinach and runner beans. For this reason, we started our own conversion group in 2013."

"Fortunately, we have seen an increased interest among farmers to change over. Traditional carrot and onion farmers have had a difficult year. Then you see them considering changing over to organic cultivation", says Jan. "In addition, organic farmers can have ever-improving crops. This is due to better co-operation in the supply chain and the right choice of crop varieties."

"The attitude towards organic has definitely changed," Jan observes. "When I started Green Organics 18 years ago, you were an odd duck if you farmed organically. Five to ten percent of the vegetables supplied in the industry was grown organically. Now, 98% of the spinach grown in Flevoland is organic. No downturn in the market is expected either. You also see the conventional sector moving more and more towards chemical-free cultivation. Hardcore organic farmers are going a step further towards organic-dynamic cultivation.

Opposition
"Our aim is, naturally, that the organic sector can support itself since the whole world is farming organically, but we are not there yet. I find it surprising that there is always opposition towards the call to intensify organic farming. This is, however, in contrast to what we are hearing from the people in the supply chain regarding the change in consumers' health awareness. There is no middle path here."

Jan also, however, questions the rate at which certain producer countries are expanding their organic supply. "In strong emerging markets you see participants who have no idea where to start. In my opinion, the retail sector has a responsibility to carefully review how organic so-called organic products are. That is why it is good that the organic sector established the European Trade and Processing Organisation last month. It is their objective to stimulate sustainable innovation and quality development of organic products, based on the principles of the organic movement."

"Besides the clean principles of organic farming, it is also seen as a good economic earning model. Prices for conventional farmers are often very low. I find it pointless that there are so many products being cultivated, without any awareness of where they end up. The organic market is relatively balanced, in this regard, from seed breeders to retailer. This is also becoming more prevalent globally. I am getting increased demand from Germany for the Green Organics model to be rolled out there, too. We will have done some good, then."

For more information:
Jan Groen
Green Organics
+31 (0) 653 201 760
jan@greenorganics.nl
www.greenorganics.nl