The day before I set off to the Biofach I received a phone call from a colleague in Friesland. He had visited the organic trade fair in Nuremberg last year. “What do you think it will be like?” he asked. “Hmmm”, came my response. Having no experience of the event, my mind flashed to conflicting images of old-fashioned craft fairs with goats’ wool socks, and snazzy modern trade fairs with lots of men in suits. Covering all my options, I quickly came up with a blend of both, narrowly resisting the temptation to describe a rep in a made-to-measure suit and goats’ wool socks. “I know just what you are thinking”, said my colleague. “Be ready for a surprise.”

Entrepreneurs with vision and conviction, who are looking to expand. That is my impression of the Dutch organic sector. The organic farmers and market gardeners want to become more professional and make inroads into the market. And although they are making progress, as reflected in initiatives such as the dairy farmers on the milk cartons of Zuiver Zuivel [pure dairy], a new range of Hooidammer cheese or pet food from Yarrah, it all seems to be going rather slowly in the Netherlands.

This impression is reinforced by the unrealistic target set by the government, which wants 10 percent of the cultivated acreage to be organic by 2010. For several years the success or failure of the Dutch organic sector has been measured – totally unjustifiably – against this yardstick. The fact that Dutch consumers are not yet prepared to buy organic is blamed above all on the higher prices. Smart marketing experts should be able to come up with solutions here. Not just price but above all presentation influence purchasing behaviour. Or is it perhaps ignorance? Where are the eye-catching organic whiskies, ointments, breakfast bars, juices, soya milk and perfumes? It is hard to appreciate products if you don’t know they exist.

They were all present at the impressively large trade fair in Nuremberg. For example, there was a department completely devoted to soya products, professionally presented in an up-to-date style. With people who are committed to their cause. No empty commercial tinsel. Unfortunately, Dutch supermarkets have yet to come anywhere near this level of conviction in putting over the organic message to consumers. My colleague in Friesland gave me a call on my first day back at work after my visit to the trade fair in Nuremberg. His words: “Not bad, was it?”

Eric de Lijster
Agrio editorial staff

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