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According to a top executive of the consortium, an association of Dutch companies would launch two new projects one each in Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh. These comanies are specialized in all aspects of horticultural cultivation, including finance and technology.
Desh Ramnath, Director of Business Development for Dutch Greenhouse Delta (DGD) said, “We are here to show Indian farmers that enough money can be made from agriculture. The Netherlands is the second-largest exporter in the world and we earn a lot of money by exporting food.”
DGD is a consortium that has been formed about two years ago to market the famed horticulture industry of The Netherlands worldwide. Ramnath, who is currently in India to showcase what the Dutch companies can offer was quoted saying, “In Uttar Pradesh, we have zeroed in on Kanpur and in Himachal Pradesh, the discussions are currently on to choose between two locations identified by the State government.”
Additionally, he said, “While our production is 150 times higher, water consumed for our projects is 96 per cent lower than conventional farming.” He states that consortium has as many as 20 different firms specialising in every aspect of horticulture ecosystem, ranging from greenhouse construction, control systems, seeds, finance to the marketing of produce.
They are already talking to major hotel chains, restaurants, superstores and others to market the produce, even though they are yet to finalise what sort of vegetables will be grown in these glasshouses. Once these projects become successful, similar projects may be taken up in other parts of India.
Ramnath stated to BusinessLine, “We are looking for those farmers who do not want to be farmers anymore but are forced to be due to their own living circumstances. Those farmers can contribute their land as land leasers or future shareholders in this new venture. Secondly, they can come to work in this new greenhouse to earn a very decent living which is way above the standard they are used to. Keep in mind that a monthly income of 500 euro (Rs 40,000) would be normal, maybe, even more, depending on the growth of the company.”
