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THE NETHERLANDS
The Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management, and Fisheries is the only government agency promoting Dutch agricultural products with a 1995 budget estimated at US$5.4 million. Almost half of the Ministry of Agriculture's budget is used to organize agricultural product exhibitions, primarily trade fairs, while advertising and in-store promotions account for about 15 percent. Other activities include buyers' missions, trade contact meetings, market research and publications. In 1994, the Ministry tried, in cooperation with private companies and organizations, to develop longer term promotion projects in Southeast Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe, and North America.
There are dozens of other private and publicly supported trade organizations that carry out export market promotion activities. The total budget of these nongovernment organizations is estimated at $73.4 million for 1995. The promotional outlays by the marketing boards or industry associations are financed primarily through producer or processor check-offs and levies. Dairy and horticultural products receive the majority of promotional support, reflecting the importance of these industries to the Dutch economy. While the bulk of the organizations' export promotions are aimed at other EU countries, organizations for meat, poultry, eggs, and flowers conduct significant promotion campaigns in Asian countries as well.
The Dutch Dairy Bureau is by far the largest of the Dutch agricultural export promotion organizations. The Dutch Dairy Board, a quasi-governmental commodity association, is financed by producer checkoff funds. The Board passes some of these funds to the Dutch Dairy Bureau for export promotion. The Dairy Bureau promotes primarily cheese, but also has a small budget for butter. Most of the export promotions are directed toward other EU member states.
The Central Bureau for Horticultural Auctions promotes the sale of fresh fruit and vegetables, and has the second largest promotion budget of Dutch commodity organizations. Revenues originate from levies on producers computed at the various fruit and vegetable auctions throughout the Netherlands. Germany and the United Kingdom are the primary target markets for the Bureau, which stresses the quality and freshness of the products in its advertising and trade promotions. About one-third of the budget is used to promote tomato exports.
The Information Bureau for Meat promotes the export of Dutch fresh and canned meats, as well as meat by-products. The Product Board for Meat and Livestock obtains its funds through levies on animals as they are slaughtered. Most of its budget is used for generic promotion of Dutch meats. Trade missions are the most common form of promotions. Nearly all of its budget is spent in other EU member states, particularly in Germany in 1995.
The International Flower Bulb Center receives its export funding from the Product Board for Ornamental Products. The funds are raised by levies on the growers and traders. The Center's budget is used primarily for public relations, trade advertising, and exhibitions and is spent in other EU member countries, Norway, Japan, South Korea, Hungary, and Poland.
The Flower Council of Holland also receives its export funding from the Product Board for Ornamental Products. The funds are also generated from levies on growers and traders. Most of its promotion budget is spent in Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Promotion activities consist of consumer advertising, trade promotion, and public relations. Markets of growing interest are Italy, Austria and Switzerland.
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