In all these areas Dutch horticulture is far ahead of China and could play a valuable role. This could be done at the level of individual companies or through consortia. Chinese authorities regularly designate specific regions to let the horticultural sector develop fast and with high quality. This offers Dutch consortia the chance to conduct turn-key chain-wide projects. The question is whether Chinese parties (both governments and companies) are able and willing to invest sufficiently to make this system jump and if they are willing to give foreign companies a role in this development. An important difference in approach is that Dutch companies tend to focus on quality and long term, while Chinese are mainly driven by low cost and short-term profit. Another problem is that in Dutch horticulture the combination of technology and skills is important, while the Chinese often stare blindly on technology. The Chinese national government aims at maximizing knowledge transfer from foreign to Chinese companies by requiring that a Chinese company should have a majority shareholdership in any company active in breeding and propagation. This is stipulated in the Chinese Seed Law. Many basic conditions in China are far from obvious. These include issues such as licensing, water and electricity supplies, qualified and motivated staff, biological pest control, adequate logistic system (cold chain), plant breeders’ rights, clear regulations, independent judiciary and enforcement, and predictability of infrastructural projects. Conclusion: China is definitely not a simple country in the area of horticulture, but given the huge potential demand and ambitious government plans, it is advisable to consider seriously the possibilities.

Market trends in China (2)