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Greenhouse horticulture is changing rapidly. As a grower, how do you stay in control?

The greenhouse horticulture sector is moving at a rapid pace. Mergers, specialization, stricter retail requirements and social pressure are making the playing field more complex than ever. Anyone who wants to stay afloat has to move fast, think strategically and gather the right partners around them. Klaas-Jan de Ruiter knows all about that. Since November 2024 he is commercial manager at Normec Groen Agro Control. Before that he worked for years in various technical and commercial positions within the greenhouse industry. He knows the sector through and through, from substrate and climate to cultivation and marketing.

Normec Groen Agro Control

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A hand holds a freshly harvested sugar beet above a green farm field with young beet plants.

By Klaas-Jan de Ruiter, commercial manager at Normec Groen Agro Control

"What drives me is translating complex practical questions into concrete solutions," says Klaas-Jan. "That requires substantive knowledge and the ability to connect the right people. That's exactly what makes this work so much fun."

Economies of scale force precision

Klaas-Jan sees the changes in the industry up close. Small companies are disappearing, while big players are specializing more and more. That creates higher risks. "A grower used to have fifty different varieties of plants. If things went wrong with one species, it was manageable. Now you often see large companies that focus entirely on one crop. Then every problem immediately hits you hard. You have to react faster and work much more precisely."

That development requires a better understanding of what is happening in the greenhouse. "Not just in nutrition, water quality or crop health, but precisely how to interpret that information. A result is not enough. You have to know what it means and what you can do with it."

Retail sets the pace

A lot is also changing on the marketing side. Retailers are making increasingly high demands: residue-free products, transparency, the same quality year-round. "The seasons are disappearing, the bar for performance is higher, and you see that reflected in the questions we get. Grower associations and international cooperation are becoming more important. And at the same time, the pressure on the Dutch grower is growing."

Yet Klaas-Jan does not see this pressure only as a threat. "The Netherlands is leading the way in sustainability and technology. Think of cogeneration, reuse of water and nutrients, residual heat going to residential areas. These are high-tech solutions we can be proud of. But to maintain that lead, we must continue to optimize. How do you get the best possible product with as little input as possible?"

Diagnostics as an important link

Especially in large-scale, specialized cultivation, a disease or abnormality can cause great damage. "Diagnostics are becoming increasingly important. We get samples from all over the world. Down to the DNA level, we can find out what is causing a problem in the crop. But we go beyond just a result. We think about the next step. That's where our strength lies."

The same goes for other analyses, such as water quality, nutrient solutions or residues. "An analysis is not an end point, but the beginning of a good conversation. Customers often know what they want to measure, but not always how or why. We help them give that direction.

Do you have an issue for Klaas-Jan?

Do you have a challenge in your cultivation practice or would you like to look at a specific analysis together? Klaas-Jan is happy to think with you and help you further with a solution that works. Get in touch today!

The power of connecting

What typifies Klaas-Jan is his ability to connect knowledge and people. "I like to sit down with a customer, listen carefully and ask the right questions. Then I put that question internally to the specialist who can give the best answer. That way, together we arrive at a solution that really works."

Within Normec, he is also increasingly seeking collaboration with colleagues from other entities. "The questions that customers ask often touch multiple disciplines. By working together smartly, we address these issues integrally. That makes us stronger and more relevant."

Looking ahead: precision, partnership and practical knowledge

According to Klaas-Jan, the future of greenhouse horticulture lies in finding the right balance: between technology and practice, speed and certainty, innovation and insight. "Anyone who wants to be future-proof needs reliable data. But even more important are the people who can interpret that data. That's where we make the difference."

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