Country agriculture profile · Europe & Central Asia
Netherlands
The Netherlands is one of the world's most intensive and technologically advanced agricultural economies and, despite its small size, ranks among the largest agri-food exporters globally. Its strength lies in extremely high-value, knowledge-intensive systems: climate-controlled greenhouse horticulture, ornamental flowers and bulbs, seed potatoes, and a highly productive dairy sector, supported by a dense cluster of research, breeding and logistics expertise often called the 'Golden Triangle'. Farming operates within the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), and the sector faces intense pressure to cut nitrogen emissions and other environmental impacts from concentrated livestock and fertiliser use. Wageningen University & Research anchors an internationally influential agricultural innovation system.
Farming systems (stable overview)
Climate zones
- Temperate oceanic
Agroecological zones
- Reclaimed polder and marine clay lowlands
- Sandy soils of the east and south
- Peat grasslands
Dominant crop systems
- Intensive greenhouse horticulture (tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers) under glass
- Ornamental flowers, bulbs and nursery stock
- Seed, ware and starch potatoes
- Sugar beet and onions on fertile polder and clay soils
- Cereals and forage within arable rotations
Major livestock systems
- Intensive dairy cattle on managed grassland and maize silage
- Large, export-oriented pig production
- Intensive poultry for meat and eggs
- Veal calf systems
Irrigation: In a wet maritime climate open-field irrigation is limited and water management centres on drainage and polders, while greenhouse systems use precise recirculating fertigation.
Latest verified data
Each value is the most recent available observation, shown with its own year and unit. Figures are periodically revised — treat them as dated, sourced statistics, not evergreen facts.
| Indicator | Value | Unit | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural land | 53.55 | % of land area | 2023 |
| Arable land | 29.97 | % of land area | 2023 |
| Cereal yield | 6,805.7 | kg per hectare | 2024 |
| Crop production index | 100.37 | index (2014–2016 = 100) | 2022 |
| Livestock production index | 101.16 | index (2014–2016 = 100) | 2022 |
| Fertilizer consumption | 238.02 | kg per hectare of arable land | 2023 |
| Agriculture value added | 1.73 | % of GDP | 2024 |
| Employment in agriculture(est.) | 1.75 | % of total employment | 2024 |
Source: World Bank Open Data (World Development Indicators) (opens in a new tab) · dataset version 2026-07-01 · retrieved 2026-07-12
Cereal yield over time
Show data table
| Year | kg per hectare |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 8,630.1 |
| 2014 | 9,073.7 |
| 2015 | 8,752.8 |
| 2016 | 7,776.9 |
| 2017 | 8,794.5 |
| 2018 | 7,927.3 |
| 2019 | 8,676.6 |
| 2020 | 7,944.3 |
| 2021 | 7,850.7 |
| 2022 | 8,860 |
| 2023 | 8,079.5 |
| 2024 | 6,805.7 |
Source: World Bank Open Data (World Development Indicators) (opens in a new tab) · dataset version 2026-07-01 · retrieved 2026-07-12
Derived indicator
Arable land as a share of agricultural land: 56 % of agricultural land (2023)
Derived value — formula arable-share-of-agricultural-land v1.0.0 (calc v1). Inputs: AG.LND.ARBL.ZS (30.0) ÷ AG.LND.AGRI.ZS (53.5). A derived ratio, not an observed statistic. Sensitive to rounding and to differing revision cycles of the two source series; omit rather than extrapolate when a common year is unavailable.
Documented crops & livestock
Agricultural institutions
- Wageningen University & Research (WUR) — Leading agricultural and life-sciences university and research institute.
- Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature — Netherlands national ministry responsible for agriculture and food policy.
Data coverage & limitations
Covered by the World Bank WDI snapshots for land, production, yield, economy, inputs, and environment indicators.
- Statistics are dated, versioned and periodically revised; always read the year and dataset version rather than treating a figure as current.
- National and EU statistical definitions (for example utilised agricultural area and livestock categories) differ from those of other countries, limiting direct cross-country comparison.
- A large share of agri-food trade is re-exported or processed from imported inputs, so headline export standing overstates domestic primary production.
- Nitrogen and environmental policy is reshaping livestock numbers, so recent figures may not reflect the current trajectory.
Sources
This article draws on the following authoritative sources. See our sources & methodology for how they are selected.
- Authoritative
Cited for: Agricultural statistics (WDI)
- Type:
- Intergovernmental organization
- Jurisdiction:
- Global
- Accessed:
- 2026-07-12
- [2]European Commission — Agriculture and rural development (opens in a new tab)Authoritative
European Commission, Directorate-General for Agriculture
Cited for: EU Common Agricultural Policy framework and farm statistics
- Type:
- Government agency
- Jurisdiction:
- European Union
- Accessed:
- 2026-07-12
- [3]FAO — Food and Agriculture Organization (opens in a new tab)Authoritative
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Cited for: Global agriculture and food production context
- Type:
- Intergovernmental organization
- Jurisdiction:
- Global
- Accessed:
- 2026-07-12