‘Even farmers don’t always know what they’re spraying’

Holland’s huge horticultural industry knows that plants must look good to sell. That means heavy use of pesticides, creating perfect conditions for the emergence of resistant strains of fungal infections.

A straight road runs uninterrupted through the tulip fields in the Bollenstreek (‘Bulb Region’) in the heart of historic Holland, about 40km from Amsterdam. The area is known for its coastal dunes, sandy soil and temperate climate, ideal for flower-growing. Sam van Schooten set up a nursery here about 20 years ago. Inside his huge warehouses, thousands of tulip, dahlia and lily bulbs are stacked on pallets, waiting to be shipped worldwide or put into cold storage. The air is humid and the giant ventilation units working flat out 10 metres off the ground seem to struggle to make an impact.

Such environments are highly conducive to the growth of phytopathogenic fungi that cause spore-borne plant diseases. ‘More than insects or other pests, this is a big problem for us horticulturists,’ Van Schooten says. The two most common, Botrytis and Fusarium, are major scourges of the 1,500 plant varieties cultivated on his 10-hectare operation. Eliminating them, he acknowledges, has meant heavy reliance on fungicidal sprays, particularly at three key stages: before the bulbs are planted, when they’re growing in the fields, and in post-harvest storage. ‘But all our pesticides are organic,’ he says.

To become the world’s leading exporter of bulbs and cut flowers – with 52% of the market and an estimated value of €4.7bn in 2024 – the Netherlands has developed a highly intensive agricultural model, based on technological innovation and heavy pesticide use (fungicides, insecticides, herbicides and antiparasitics). This sector has deep historical ties to the development of capitalism. Back in the mid-17th century, the first bout of ‘tulipomania’ caused market frenzy, with rare bulbs selling for more than Amsterdam townhouses. ‘The race to remain competitive never stops,’ Van Schooten says. ‘Our 2% annual profit is automatically reinvested in innovation: around here, if business is good, you buy a tractor, not a Ferrari.’

But the consequences of (…)

Full article: 2 695 words.

Émile Boutelier & Copélia Mainardi

Copélia Mainardi and Émile Boutelier are journalists.

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