Why trade with the Netherlands?

Dutch agricultural exports to the United States totaled nearly $2.4 billion in 2010. Many of our well-known products land on kitchen tables of American families every day. Americans especially like our cheese, fresh produce, chocolate, coffee, cacao, tea, and beer.

• The Netherlands: An agricultural powerhouse

  

  Land use in The Netherlands. Source: WaterWatch

  The Netherlands is one of the smallest countries in the European Union, but big in agriculture. More than half of its surface area of almost 9.9 million acres is used for farming. The agricultural-industrial complex (agriculture, horticulture, and associated products and services) represents nearly 10 percent of the Dutch economy, measured in added value.

  Second largest agricultural exporter

  One out of 10 workers has a job in the agricultural sector. The Netherlands is the second largest exporter of agricultural products in the world, after the US. With an average of 1,300 people per square mile, the Netherlands is one of the most densely populated countries in the world.

  7.3 million households

  The Netherlands has 7.3 million households (2.2 people per household). On average, each family spends 14 percent of its income on food, beverages, and tobacco. Holland is also one of the world’s wealthiest nations, excelling at trade and high-quality financial and professional services.

• Dutch products are shipped all over the world

  

  The Dutch export more than $7.4 billion in meat and meat products all around the world. Source: Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation.

  The Dutch economy is internationally oriented, and the agricultural sector is no different. Products from Holland can be found in supermarkets all over the world. The value of Dutch agricultural exports reached 81 billion USD in 2010, accounting for 16.4 percent of the total Dutch exports that year. Only the US exported more than the Netherlands. Dutch agricultural trade is diverse. In 2010, nearly $8.4 billion in ornamental plants and other greenery were exported, as was more than $7.4 billion in meat and meat products, and nearly $7.6 billion in eggs and dairy products.

  Exports to the USA

  Of the considerable amount exported to the US from the Netherlands, meat, dairy, fruits and vegetables, grain, and cocoa and cocoa preparations represented the largest shares. The value of export to the United States was nearly $2.4 billion in 2010. Americans especially like our cheese, chocolate, coffee, cocao, tea,  vegetables and beer. The table below shows some of the main agricultural products exported to the United States in 2010:

  Product	Value to the US
  Beer and other alcoholic beverages	$1.1 billion
  Coffee, tea, cacao	$364.7 million
  Vegetables	$113.6 million
  Horses	$96.2 million
  Dairy products	$72.8 million
  Ornamental products	$68.51 million
  Fish and fish products	$41.3 million
  Meat and meat products	$13.8 million

  The Netherlands also buys a lot of agricultural products from the United States (almost $2 billion). Products that are shipped from the US are oilseeds, animal feed, fruits and nuts, plant material, meat, tobacco, and fish products.