Onion seed breeder De Groot en Slot celebrated its 70th anniversary on Friday with a symposium for relations from across the onion sector. At the head office in Broek op Langedijk, directors Bas van den Hemel and Martin Slot reflected on seven decades of innovation, while focusing firmly on the future. They did so together with, among others, climate expert Helga van Leur and AI specialists Sonny de Leeuw and Wouter de Vries.
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The anniversary marked a special milestone for the North Holland family business, which has specialised in the breeding, production, and sale of onion seeds since 1955. "We are proud of our history, but at least as excited about what lies ahead," Bas said at the opening. "In 70 years, we still want to be leading in Allium – together with our partners. There is still so much beauty to develop."
According to Bas, artificial intelligence, data analysis, and automation will play an increasingly important role in the coming decades. "Farmers will know exactly when watering or biological spraying is needed thanks to data. Robots will weed and harvest, and supply chains will become shorter and more efficient. But what remains is cooperation. That is our strength."
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Martin pointed out that the sector's innovative power is often underestimated. "In The Hague, there is a lot of talk about nitrogen and tax relief, but little about innovation. Yet innovation is precisely the key to sustainability. That is a matter of the long term, and as a sector, we understand that."
Former weather forecaster Helga van Leur highlighted the urgency of climate adaptation in her lecture. "Global temperatures are rising towards three degrees, and that has direct consequences for agriculture," she said. "We will face more frequent damage from extreme rainfall as well as prolonged drought. This calls for heat-resistant varieties, smart irrigation, and a new way of thinking."
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"We have to adapt, not only technologically but also socially. Soil is complex, as is climate. Like an onion, we need to peel back those layers to understand where we can intervene." According to her, investing in climate adaptation is not a choice but a necessity. "The cost of inaction now will be five times higher by 2050. This is a necessary investment, not only in our industry but in our future."
AI as the next revolution
Sonny de Leeuw and Wouter de Vries introduced the audience to the world of artificial intelligence. With humour, they explained how each technological wave replaces something old, from the typewriter to the CD, and how AI is becoming the next revolution. "The biggest companies in the world now make their money not with oil, but with data," Wouter said. "And that offers huge opportunities for agriculture too."
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They also drew inspiration from the layered onion metaphor. "Just like an onion, AI has layers," said De Leeuw. "At the core are conventional AI systems that answer questions or recognise patterns. The second layer is reasoning AI, which makes connections and analyzes data. This is followed by autonomous and innovative AI, which makes decisions independently and even invents new solutions. And in that layer, I expect a lot of innovation in the near future, including for agriculture."
In practice, this means that artificial intelligence can drastically improve precision farming: sensors that regulate water management, algorithms that detect crop diseases, or harvesters that operate autonomously. "In ten years, there will probably be no one sitting on a tractor," Sonny predicted. "But someone will be behind a dashboard full of data."
AI is not yet flawless
At the same time, it became clear during their presentation that AI is by no means flawless yet. For example, a question about plant protection products for onions yielded an answer about a product used exclusively in potato cultivation. "You always have to remain critical. AI is smart, but not flawless," Sonny stressed.
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A prize for innovative projects was also presented at this forward-looking symposium. Fifteen entries competed for the Innovation Award 2025, intended for ideas that combine creativity, sustainability, and practicality. The jury, consisting of representatives from De Groot en Slot, Bejo, and education, selected three finalists: Odd.Bot with an autonomous weeding robot, a project on mixed cultivation, and the Ap-Lift system, a multicrop harvesting system that can also operate in wet conditions.
Smart harvesting system wins innovation prize
The €10,000 prize eventually went to the Ap-Lift system, developed by the family business Agri Poppe, which created a smart harvesting system that can harvest both potatoes and onions. "That in turn saves space in the barn," said the judges. "A wonderfully practical idea with great value for the future."
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But that was not the only prize awarded. There was also the 'Biggest Onion' competition. For the first time, professional growers were allowed to participate in this sixth edition of the contest. The winner was Twan Mollen from Dessel, Belgium, who said he won thanks to his neighbour's blessing of the onion. Kees Werkman from Rasquert and Dick van Kranenburg from Rutten followed closely behind.
Cooperation agreement with NAJK
Next, Bas van den Hemel and Jeroen Kuin signed a cooperation agreement on behalf of De Groot en Slot with the Nederlands Agrarisch Jongeren Kontakt (NAJK), which represents the interests of young farmers. "The future of onion farming lies in innovation, but especially with the younger generation and in knowledge exchange," Bas said. "If we keep working together, we can move forward for at least another 70 years."
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The day concluded with the Allium Experience Tour, offering a behind-the-scenes look at De Groot en Slot's breeding process – from seed to new varieties. Visitors had the chance to speak with employees and experience the rich history of the family business. But if it's up to the company itself, these first 70 years are only the beginning.
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For more information:
De Groot & Slot
Westelijke Randweg 1
1721 CH Broek op Langedijk
Tel: +31 (0) 226 331 200
[email protected]
www.degr ootenslot.nl
