'Many investments in knowledge exchange'

How did you like the GreenTech Americas last week?

“It was a very good week, we are very satisfied with how everything went. It was a sold-out fair with a larger exhibition stand area than last year. All companies I spoke to were also very positive.

We are very happy that this fair started here a few years ago. You see that GreenTech Americas fulfills a hub function for professionals in covered horticulture. Not just for Mexico but for all of Central America. It is clearly an incentive for the development of covered horticulture in this region.”

The arrival of our Minister of Foreign Trade, Geoffrey van Leeuwen, was also very nice. The fact that he came to open the fair says a lot about the importance of Mexico as a trading relationship for the Netherlands. Agriculture and horticulture is an extremely important theme in that relationship, and this certainly applies to covered cultivation.”

What challenges does horticulture face in Mexico?

“The biggest challenges are water and labor. The availability of water is under pressure due to climate change and the excessive use of resources. The aquifers are becoming increasingly empty. More water is extracted than replenished by precipitation, partly because the pattern in rainfall has changed.

Previously water was not such an important topic and little was done about recycling drain water. But that is changing, we see that growers are increasingly seeing this as a crucial part of their business. However, they are still reluctant to use this technique out of fear of virus spread through the water system.”

And what about labor?

“The demand for labor in horticulture is high, but at the same time it is becoming more difficult to find people for harvesting, crop care and packaging. This makes it increasingly interesting for growers to invest in techniques that make the work less labor intensive. But the deployment of highly educated people is also a bottleneck. These are increasingly necessary because of the use of technology. That is why a collaboration has been started between the UTEQ universities in Querétaro and the Dutch University of Applied Sciences HAS Den Bosch. A campus for horticultural technology in covered cultivation will soon be opened here. In addition, a number of private training institutes are already active in this, both at universities and supply companies.”

What is your role here in Mexico?

“Together with my two colleagues Frank and Benjamin, we form the agricultural team at the Dutch embassy. We support the business community, such as companies that are already here and that want to grow or open a new location. We do this together with the Netherlands Business Support Office. We maintain contact with various horticultural organizations and we also conduct market research. We also organize market access, such as practical support for the import of goods.

Written by KOEN VAN WIJK

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