Looking ahead: 2024

We start the new year with new energy. Sales for 2023 were slightly lower than the previous year for the second year in a row, totalling 5.1 billion. This is disappointing, given the large cost increases everyone is facing. Although 2023 still ranks third in terms of turnover, the important question is whether we can return to higher turnover in 2024 and thereby turn the tide. This can only happen if we act together as a whole industry.

Of course, it is always exciting what the future will bring us, but this year promises to be memorable in many ways. As things stand, the formation in the Netherlands will result in a cabinet, the composition of which will be a first. In addition, there are elections to the European Parliament in early June. As an internationally operating sector, these are of great importance to Floriculture. The outcome of the elections in America will not be finalised until next January, but in the run-up to it the effects will already be noticeable. At Royal FloraHolland, we are going full steam ahead with the roll-out of our strategy. That means further development of Floriday, central auctioning, order picking and time slot delivery. We will also continue to develop and optimise our physical hubs. Aalsmeer-Oost is taking more and more concrete shape and we are developing a plan for Mars, the wasteland in Naaldwijk. The ultimate goal of all these is to make the chain more efficient. This is best achieved if growers, buyers and other chain partners respond to the opportunities offered by the various innovations. Those opportunities are plentiful, but we will have to make use of them together and also each for himself. I am quite optimistic about this. I am impressed by the great commitment of our members and also by the passion and entrepreneurship of buyers and other chain partners.

Sustainability
A major theme will also be sustainability in 2024. This is not a passing trend, but a theme that will remain permanently high on the agenda across the board. This includes aspects such as energy, crop protection, water and safety. We cannot be clear enough about sustainability. It means we have to take decisions on that too. For instance, in the field of environmental certification. Only by providing clarity can we convince consumers at home and abroad of the sustainable character of our sector. By putting it off, we end up shooting ourselves in the foot. In the second week of January, I was on a working visit to Kenya with the new Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Evert van Helvoort. We visited a large number of farms there and had good and long talks with a lot of growers. We were surprised and impressed by the steps taken in Kenya in all aspects of sustainability. Not just in the area of crop protection, but also in the area of water management and water quality, not to mention on the social front. This is really impressive. As a sector, we are increasingly under the magnifying glass. Hortipoint research shows that 70% of the 700 survey participants are positive about 2024, but are worried about the sector's image. Let's be clear that our reputation is determined by our actions. If we make sure there is little to worry about, we can work on improving our image. Flower Council has an important role to play here. This week the support test for an AVV among trade companies takes place. If, like our growers, they say yes, the way will be open for us to work together to propagate the sustainable character of floriculture to our important stakeholders.

Steven van Schilfgaarde,
CEO, Royal FloraHolland