First Successful Consortium Day for the Dutch Fruit Sector
On December 6th, the first consortium day for the Dutch fruit sector with international aspirations took place at Proeftuin Randwijk, a research facility of Wageningen University and Research. The event was a great success. With a diverse group of participants, including growers, tech developers, researchers, and representatives from the Netherlands Ministry of Agriculture, Fishery, Food Security and Nature (LVVN), the event effectively reached its target audience. The energy and interaction throughout the day demonstrated that this topic is highly relevant and that establishing a community around the Dutch fruit sector is seen as valuable. Under the guidance of moderator Patricia Hoogervorst (Dutch Fruit Growers Organization – NFO), a well-structured program was presented, focusing on both knowledge sharing and interaction.
The Purpose of This Meeting
This day marked an important first step in connecting the fruit sector through a new consortium. The goal is to form a community where technology, research, and practice reinforce each other to achieve progress together. The broad support among participants confirmed the need for such a platform. This meeting was also positioned as the launch of an international movement aimed at elevating innovation, collaboration, and technology to a higher level.
Speakers and Projects
The meeting highlighted three major projects: Next Fruit 4.0, NXTGEN Hightech: Handsfree Agrifood, and Orchard of the Future. Each project was presented by a panel of project leaders, researchers, entrepreneurs, and growers, providing a comprehensive overview of the sector’s collaboration pillars.
Next Fruit 4.0
Next Fruit 4.0 focuses on high-tech and data management applications to enhance sustainable cultivation, maximize yields, and minimize costs. It includes six work packages: sensing, management information, robotics, requirements, economic validation and innovation adoption, and the innovation cycle, aiming to advance and expand technological solutions for future fruit production.
The central question for Next Fruit 4.0 was: If there were a network of tech companies focused on fruit cultivation tomorrow, what task would you assign to them first?
Moderator Patricia guided the discussion, where Peter Frans de Jong (Wageningen University & Research (WUR), project leader) gave a concise explanation of the project’s focus and achievements, highlighting the importance of supporting early adopters. Pieter van Dalfsen (WUR) delved deeper into the implementation of precision spraying technology and offered concrete recommendations to better align knowledge and practice. Charles van den Heuvel (Van Wamel) stressed the importance of putting growers at the center, stating, “Place the grower at the heart—they are the ones who have to use it (the new technology, red.).” Fruit grower Peter Baars shared his practical experiences and emphasized the need to convince growers of the benefits, such as better quality, uniform cultivation, and higher efficiency.
NXTGEN Hightech: Handsfree Agrifood
Launched in May 2023, the NXTGEN Hightech program aims to restore the Netherlands to a leading position and address major societal challenges by investing approximately €1 billion and collaborating with 330 partners until 2030, with support from the National Growth Fund of €450 million. Additionally, the program focuses on hands-free transitions to address labor shortages, low margins, and market fragmentation through smart innovations that enable quality assessment during harvesting, faster crop harvesting with fewer people, and early detection of diseases and pests in open field, greenhouse and food processing industries.
For NXTGEN Hightech, the question posed was: What can a network of tech companies focused on fruit cultivation contribute?
Peter Schellekens (FME, project leader) offered insights into the national and international objectives of the project, emphasizing ecosystem development and cross-sector collaboration, exemplified by the newly developed activity “Tree to Plate”, a collaboration between the Bas Boom (OnePlanet) discussed the role of sensor technologies like the Treescout and how Dutch growers are essential for knowledge development and breeding. Bert Rijk (Aurea Imaging) showcased how NXTGEN has advanced the capabilities of the Treescout, underscoring the need for financial support for early adopters. Fruit grower Frans Rijk shared how he applies this technology in his business and highlighted the value of leveraging each other’s knowledge and networks.
Orchard of the Future (OotF)
The Orchard of the Future collaboration aims to future-proof the orchard industry by integrating knowledge, technology, and funding from the Western US and the Netherlands, focusing on automation, robotization, and new business models. This initiative addresses labor challenges, enhances efficiency, and promotes sustainability and food safety throughout the tree fruit supply chain.
The Orchard of the Future project focused on international collaboration and posed the question: What can a network of tech companies contribute to fruit cultivation?
Peter Frans de Jong (WUR) highlighted the collaboration with Washington State University, emphasizing the importance of knowledge sharing and site visits. Han Smits (Munckhof) shared how this partnership advanced his company and stressed that network building should be driven by entrepreneurs themselves, drawing lessons from other sectors. Fruitgrower Berend Jan van Westreenen spoke about the significance of international cooperation and expanding a network of growers. He advocated for more success stories and a collective effort toward profitability.
Progress Achieved
The day yielded valuable insights, both in terms of content and participant interaction. During breaks, ideas were exchanged, and statements were debated, leading to new connections and perspectives. The outcome confirms that the consortium’s vision aligns with the sector’s needs. While critical feedback will be taken into account, the day left a strong positive impression regarding the chosen direction.
Conclusion
The first fruit consortium day successfully achieved its goals: to inform, inspire, and connect. The interactive format fostered engagement, while demonstrations of robotics technologies brought the future of precision agriculture closer to reality. The enthusiastic responses from participants highlight the value of this gathering and provide the momentum needed to further develop this community. Onward to the next steps!
Want to Help Accelerate the Fruit Sector? Are you an entrepreneur, researcher, or grower looking to contribute to a future-proof fruit sector with international ambitions? Subscribe to the newsletter on our website or contact Peter Schellekens [[email protected]] to get involved.
