Dutch growers launch homegrown chickpeas

A first for Dutch agriculture; for the first time chickpeas are being sown on a large scale in the Netherlands. Last week, on farms from Groningen to Limburg, the seed has gone into the ground, at growers in Tollebeek, Borssele, 't Zandt, Odoornerveen, Heeswijk-Dinther, Heerlen and Siddeburen. This will produce up to 30 tons of chickpeas from Dutch soil in the fall. Chickpea cultivation is new to Dutch agriculture. And Groentegoed can go 100% Dutch with the 2024 harvest, as far as chickpeas are concerned.

Preference

There is a visible growing demand for plant-based proteins from our own, Dutch cultivation. Consumers wholeheartedly choose plant proteins if they come from Dutch soil. Dutch protein farmers are now making that possible. With this, the Dutch chickpea has suddenly begun a rapid rise. This is also seen by pioneer Groentegoed, maker of vegetable spreads from Lopik, which processes many chickpeas, and Laan Landbouw, chickpea grower from Tollebeek.

From caterers to childcare centers

The producer and provider Groentegoed processes chickpeas into spreads like hummus, which are supplied to numerous caterers, childcare organizations, stores and online. The 2023 harvest year was a year of exploration and trial for homegrown chickpea. With that year's harvest, already 10% of the chickpeas processed by Groentegoed were from Dutch cultivation. With the fall 2024 harvest, that could become 100%. So Groentegoed will then be able to make all of its chickpea spreads with Dutch chickpeas.

Incentives

The rapid rise of Dutch chickpeas plays against the backdrop of chain cooperation between Groentegoed and the Producer Organization Protein Farmers of the Netherlands. The producer organization's mission is to increase the cultivation, production and consumption of leguminous (dry-harvested) homegrown protein crops by entering into chain collaborations based on a shared vision of value creation. Plant proteins from Dutch soil make an essential contribution to making our agricultural system more sustainable. The cultivation of chickpea, for example, contributes to healthy soil, an increase in biodiversity, a reduction in CO2 emissions and a reduction in nitrogen. Good for the farmer, the soil, biodiversity and the citizen. Henk Janknegt, chairman Protein Farmers of the Netherlands says, "The cooperation with Groentegoed allows us to further expand the cultivation of chickpeas on Dutch soil. This offers opportunities for our members. We are therefore delighted that together with Groentegoed we can realize our value-driven vision."

100% Dutch

With the increase, Groentegoed is becoming a booster in the cultivation of homegrown chickpeas. Albert van der Veen, one of the fathers of Groentegoed: "In all modesty, we are building on the work of the Protein Growers Producers Organization of the Netherlands. That cultivation was promising had been established for some time. But marketing their product was still a tough task for the growers. For us, marketing is actually very simple: our customers want it. Caterers and end users find it attractive to hear that they are spreading a Dutch product on their sandwich, which also contributes to sustainable agriculture. That demand is there and that demand is great. So we look forward with interest to the growing supply of Dutch chickpeas. As far as we're concerned, we only process Dutch chickpeas."

Source: sustainable-entrepreneurship.com