Of national importance economically, the Dutch bulb-growing industry is also responsible for a range of environmental impacts associated with use of pesticides and nutrients. At the request of the Technology Assessment Steering Group, a advisory body to the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, CE carried out a ‘stakeholder analysis’ of the Dutch bulb-growing sector, inventorying the opportunities and problems facing the trade on the basis of 26 interviews with stakeholder representatives. To this end, interviews were held people in the bulb-growing trade itself as well as with representatives of water boards, environmental NGOs, provincial authorities, R&D institutes and health, enforcement and tourist agencies aligned with the trade.
Environmental problems are recognised by virtually all parties, with nutrient emissions seen as the most pressing. Besides reporting on the main results, the study also includes full transcripts of the interviews.