Dutch agriculture exports set new record of nearly €129 billion last year
Last year, the Dutch agricultural sector exported 128.9 billion euros worth of agricultural goods. That is 4.8 percent more than in 2023 and a new record, according to a joint study by Wageningen Social & Economic Research and Statistics Netherlands (CBS) for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security, and Nature. The growth is mainly due to price increases.
Around two-thirds of all the agricultural goods exported last year were produced in the Netherlands. Last year, the Dutch economy earned an estimated 47.4 billion euros from the export of agricultural goods (+4 percent compared to 2023.) €42.3 billion of that amount was due to the export of Dutch-made goods, and 5.2 billion euros was from the re-export of agricultural goods produced abroad. The value of goods produced in the Netherlands rose by a third since 2016, but during that same period, the value of re-exported goods doubled.
The top three most exported agricultural products were dairy and eggs, ornamental plants, and meat - the same as in 2023. Cocoa was the most striking climber in the top 10. The export value of cacao and its preparations increased by 66 percent last year due to a very strong price increase. Last year, the magic bean that makes chocolate was the fourth most valuable Dutch agricultural export, up from 11th place a year earlier.
Like in previous years, Germany was the largest buyer of Dutch agricultural goods in 2024. About a quarter of the total exports went to our eastern neighbors. Exports also increased to Belgium, France, and the United Kingdom. Agricultural exports to China fell by 12 percent, mainly due to a declining demand for Dutch baby formula and Dutch pork.
