On 19 December 2024, the new "State of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food and Nature - Edition 2024" was presented in the House of Representatives. It is a comprehensive publication by Wageningen Economic Research (WER) and CBS at the request of and subsidised by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature. It offers insights into developments in the Dutch agro and fisheries sectors, food consumption and nature policy. It concludes that the Netherlands is becoming increasingly dependent on beef imports.

Survey results

The report covers economic indicators, environmental pressures, innovation, biodiversity and nature management. Key topics include the Dutch agribusiness sector with an added value of €66 billion in 2022 and employment of 605,000 working years. Cattle numbers remained stable, while pig and chicken numbers declined.

In food consumption, supermarkets remain dominant in food sales. Sustainable food spending rose 14%, partly due to inflation. And agriculture contributes 17% to the Netherlands' greenhouse gas emissions. The proportion of grazing for dairy cows fell, and nitrogen and phosphate production remains below the legal ceilings.

Self-sufficiency rates have been calculated for animal agricultural products.

Self-sufficiency

Statistics Netherlands (CBS) calculates the self-sufficiency rate of animal products in the Netherlands by comparing domestic production with domestic consumption. This degree indicates the extent to which the Netherlands is able to meet its own needs for animal products without depending on imports.

The following data are used for the calculation:

• Production details: The total volume of domestic production of animal products, such as meat (broken down into beef, pork, poultry, etc.), dairy products (such as milk, cheese, butter) and eggs. These data are collected through agricultural statistics and producer reports.
• Consumption data: The total volume of domestic consumption of these products. This is calculated by adding domestic production to imports and then subtracting exports. This gives a picture of what is actually available for consumption within the Netherlands.

The self-sufficiency rate is then calculated using the formula: Self-sufficiency ratio (%) = (Domestic production / Domestic consumption) × 100%

A percentage above 100% indicates a surplus, meaning that the Netherlands produces more than it consumes and is therefore an exporter of that product. A percentage below 100% indicates a deficit, meaning that the Netherlands depends on imports to meet domestic demand.

Self-sufficiency rate for products of animal origin:

The Netherlands is still more than self-sufficient for products such as veal, pork, cheese, butter and whole milk powder. For beef and milk products, the Netherlands remains dependent on imports to meet domestic demand. And with many cattle farmers quitting in recent years, self-sufficiency is expected to decline sharply.

Source: https://www.tweedekamer.nl/kamerstukken/detail?id=2024D50999&did=2024D50999