World Grain - May 2021 - 23

Netherlands cereal imports

2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009

(in US dollars)
Value
$3,586,598
$3,636,954
$3,219,957
$2,475,443
$2,728,852
$3,166,250
$3,498,127
$3,256,263
$3,233,940
$2,545,716
$2,546,743

% change
-1.38%
12.95%
30.08%
-9.29%
-13.81%
-9.49%
7.43%
0.69%
27.03%
-0.04%
-28.94%

Source: Knoema

in wheat equivalent, were 349,200 in the period in 2020-21,
compared to 826,027 the year before. Durum wheat exports
were 332,784, down from 826,027. Exports of barley so
far in 2020-21 were 6,098,853 tonnes, up from 6,088,968.
Those of malt, in barley equivalent, rose to 2,364,487
tonnes from 2,200,046. Maize exports were 1,967,862
tonnes, down from 4,197,266.
Flour milling
According to the European Flour Millers Association there
are four mills in the Netherlands: Dossche Mills, Koopmans, Ambachtsmolen and De Jong, producing 1.05 million tonnes of flour a year. The average capacity usage is
70%. Less than 50% of the country's wheat crop is suitable
for milling. Average per capita flour consumption is 62.5
kilograms, while bread consumption is 57 kilograms per
person.
According to an analysis published by the Royal Dutch
Grain and Feed Trade Association (Het Comité), the Netherlands imports 83% of the wheat it uses, along with 95%
of the maize, 90% of the barley, 99% of the rapeseed and
over 99% of the soybeans, as well as 100% of the sunflower seed.
" The Netherlands is the gateway for ingredients for food
and feed in Europe, " the association said. " Not only our
strategic location, well-organized infrastructure and logistics contribute to this success, also the people working in
the agri-food trade.
" Northwestern European ports play a major role in international agri-bulk trade. Being the largest port in Europe
with a No. 10 ranking worldwide, the Port of Rotterdam
handled 30% of agri-bulk traded in Northwestern Europe in
2018. Amsterdam as runner-up covered 25%, which means
that the Netherlands (including Vlissingen and Terneuzen)
World-Grain.com / World Grain / May 2021

covers more than half of the total Northwestern European
volume. Dutch ports provide unique hinterland connections
that cover all transport modes. "
Annually, the Netherlands imports grains, seeds and pulses for some €7 billion ($8.4 billion), the association said.
" This mainly concerns raw materials that are processed
into food and feed for both the local and export market, "
Het Comité said. " The annual export value of grains, seeds
and pulses is approximately €4 billion ($4.8 billion). "
Biotech and biofuels
In a Feb. 7, 2020, report, the USDA attaché described the
approach of the Dutch government and agricultural sector
to the import of genetically modified products as " pragmatic, " explaining that " the Netherlands is one of the largest importers of soybeans and soybean derivatives, which
serve as an important input for the Dutch European livestock sector. "
Most of the country's soybean imports come from the
United States.
" However, domestic crop trials and commercial cultivation of GE crops are effectively prevented by cumbersome
regulations and the threat of protests from environmental
groups, " the report said. " Experimental planting of GE
crops is almost impossible in the Netherlands. Crop trials
are effectively prevented by cumbersome regulations imposed by the government and by the threat of protests from
environmental groups. "
The Netherlands has been among those EU member
states pushing for a review of GMO legislation, particularly as, according to the attaché, " the Dutch plant breeding
and propagation sector is supportive of the use of innovative biotechnologies. "
Dutch fuel ethanol consumption was forecast in an attaché report at 380 million liters in 2020, a level unchanged
from the previous year.
A separate report explained that in 2018, the Dutch government decided to increase the mandate for biofuel blending in transport fuels in order to achieve the overall 14%
renewable energy consumption target in 2020. The 2020
mandate is 16.4% by energy content, of which 1% must be
from advanced biofuels.
" In order to qualify, the advanced biofuels must be produced from waste, excluding used cooking oil and animal
fats, " the report said. " The physical volume of biofuels
blended is lower than the mandate, as a large percentage of
the volume blended is double counting biodiesel.
" Since Oct. 1, 2019, Dutch distributors are obliged to
offer E10 at their gas/petrol stations. At least half of the

offered
blends must be E10. "
Chris Lyddon is World Grain's European correspondent.
He may be contacted at: cajlyddon@gmail.com
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World Grain - May 2021

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