Large surplus due to exceptionally good growing season, strict quality requirements, and withdrawing supermarkets
Oversaturated market, farmers left with surplus
The Dutch food market is not set up for surpluses of fresh food. For instance, farmer Bram from Friesland is left with 300,000 kilos of carrots after a supermarket unexpectedly withdrew, while the carrots had already been sown. In North Brabant, 60,000 kilos of organic potatoes from grower Jan-Willem are at risk of remaining unsold due to small spots and bumps on the skin, making them unwelcome in the supermarket. Other farmers in the country are also struggling with a surplus due to an oversaturated market and increasingly strict quality requirements.
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Destination animal feed at risk in full market
When supermarkets drop out, these farmers can hardly find other buyers in the current market. Processors and wholesalers are full due to the good growing season, and surpluses are difficult to reallocate. As a result, good and healthy food is at risk of ending up as animal feed or even not being harvested at all, while there are many people in the Netherlands who could make good use of these vegetables.
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National rescue operation to prevent waste
To ensure that all kilos are eaten this winter and farmers receive a fair price, No Waste Army is calling on consumers across the country to order a bag of vegetables from a farmer via www.nowastearmy.nl/winteractie and pick them up on January 9, 10, 16, and 17. People can also donate vegetables to the Dutch Food Bank via the action page. When this is fulfilled, vegetables will go to the Belgian Food Bank. Finally, No Waste Army buys part of the surplus for their grocery box against food waste, which they distribute quarterly throughout the country, processing the vegetables into shelf-stable products.
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