Misunderstanding caused collapse of Cabinet's agriculture deal, minister says

The fact that the agricultural agreement collapsed last Tuesday was largely due to a misunderstanding, Agriculture Minister Piet Adema said during a debate in the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament. There were different ideas about the "homework." The absence of Prime Minister Mark Rutte at the meeting also may have exacerbated the situation, Adema said.

The agricultural organization, LTO, had wanted the ministry to come up with a detailed response to their "eight-point plan" before the important meeting. The would then discuss the response further during the consultations. But that was not so understood by Adema's team. "There was a misunderstanding about that. I was not aware that we were to provide that in advance."

After an opening speech by Adema at the meeting, LTO chair Sjaak van der Tak then made his statement. "I have an irritating announcement for you. I am canceling the agricultural agreement." The fact that Adema was still going respond to LTO's plans during the consultation was of no interest to the agricultural organisation.

The minister had proposed to suspend the meeting and continue later. "Can we keep the peace for another 24 or 48 hours?" Adema had wondered. But LTO simply did not want to suspend the meeting and reconvene later, he told the Tweede Kamer.

A meeting between all sides with Rutte in attendance had already been scheduled for the Thursday after talks blew up. Rutte was also present at previous conversations. According to Adema, the reason LTO stormed off "also had a little bit to do with the fact that the prime minister was not there."

Rutte and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen visited Namibia's president, Hage Geingob, the day before the failed agriculture meeting, to discuss the energy transition, renewable hydrogen, and multilateral cooperation. On the day of the LTO meeting, Rutte and Frederiksen met with South African leader Cyril Ramaphosa to discuss energy issues and increasing trade and investment between the countries. The following day, Rutte met with Morocco Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch about the migration flow, regional security, and economic interests.

The three-country tour was announced on June 12, eight days before the meeting with LTO was to take place.

After the last meeting had collapsed, Van der Tak told the press that they no longer had trust in the Cabinet's process, but offered no further explanation. The LTO wrote on its website that the Cabinet had good intentions, "but a farmer cannot live on intentions."