Interview: Netherlands-China agricultural cooperation holds great potential: Dutch expert

THE HAGUE, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Agricultural cooperation between the Netherlands and China holds great potential, a Dutch expert said in a recent interview with Xinhua, citing the two countries' complementary strengths and growing interest from both sides.

Gert Dral, China director of the Dutch Greenhouse Delta (DGD), a foundation dedicated to promoting Dutch agricultural technology worldwide, described China's agricultural development as "impressive."

"China has a strong ambition to modernize its agriculture, and that creates huge opportunities for cooperation," Dral said, adding that the strengths of China and the Netherlands are highly complementary.

He outlined several areas where Dutch expertise could contribute to bilateral cooperation, including computerized greenhouse control systems, irrigation and nutrient dosing systems, and biological crop protection.

At the same time, Dral highlighted China's rapid progress in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and automation, which he believes will play an increasingly important role in the global horticulture sector.

"One of the major global challenges in agriculture in the coming decades will be labor shortages," he said, noting that greater automation will be essential to sustaining productivity.

"China is advancing very quickly in AI and robotics, and this can make a strong contribution to the horticulture sector," he added.

Dral has been involved in cooperation with China for more than two decades. Since early 2019, he has actively promoted cooperation between DGD and Chinese partners.

He said interest in Netherlands-China agricultural cooperation has continued to grow in recent years, noting that last year alone, they received more than 20 Chinese delegations, and that some Dutch companies have already established subsidiaries in China.

In April, he will work with Chinese counterparts to organize a delegation of Dutch companies to explore market opportunities in China, he revealed.

Looking ahead, Dral expressed hope that agricultural cooperation between the two countries will deepen further. "China is developing very fast and achieving remarkable results," he said. "There are many things we can do together."