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Import of (fossil based) fertilizer and of animal feed that's converted into another form of imported fertilizer by the primary use aren't major factors?
by usrusr 4y ago
Import of (fossil based) fertilizer and of animal feed that's converted into another form of imported fertilizer by the primary use aren't major factors?
- DoingIsLearning 4y agoNo in the sense that they are not diferentiating factors, i.e. everybody else is also doing that and yet don't have surplus of food.
- usrusr 4y agoChances are they are, per capita, importing a lot more than others (haven't looked it up but I'd be surprised if they didn't, happily surprised that is), and if that's the case, "others do it too" (but less of it) doesn't rule out that the nl food surplus is more a form of processing (of other countries agricultural output) than of domestic production, that just hides behind the different classification of imports and exports (one isn't food, the other is). How much agricultural surplus would there still be if they were isolated for a few years?
- dtech 4y agoThis is easily researched [1]. While NL exports inflated due to having a large port with a lot of imports, they are still a large net exporter compared to size. [1] https://www.cbs.nl/en-gb/news/2022/03/agricultural-exports-exceeded-100-billion-euros-in-2021 https://www.cbs.nl/en-gb/news/2022/03/agricultural-exports-e.... In monetary values, 28% is re-exports and 72% is exports.
- usrusr 4y agoEasily researched? Imports and exports are usually compared in terms of € or USD and sure, if you process feed into meat you will make a surplus or you wouldn't do it. But for agriculture, a more fitting unit would be the nitrogen involved, and I'm pretty sure that imports greatly outweigh what's exported in food.
- cpursley 4y agoNot to mention decades of previously cheap natural gas... Aren't they shutting down greenhouses now due to exploding energy costs?
- DoingIsLearning 4y agoI think that is mostly flower greenhouses but could be wrong.
- emrvb 4y agoNo really. The modern greenhouses act as little power plants, burning gas and generate electricity for the grid when demand is high, or act as a sink with electric heat when demand is low.
- deleted 4y ago[deleted]
- perihelions 4y agoTechnically, the Netherlands were a net *exporter* of natural gas for most of modern history (1950's - 2018-ish). https://www.reuters.com/article/netherlands-gas-imports-idUSL8N1RW38L https://www.reuters.com/article/netherlands-gas-imports-idUS...