The bio based economy is often seen as utopian perspective on a significant way to improve current society run on fossil fuels and wasteful alternatives. The Netherlands is home to a government that actively stimulates the progress of the bio based economy through initiatives that put pressure on the producers and alleviates them from the protagonists of the bio based economy. The government of the Netherlands has recently agreed on forcing a reduction in energy consumption by 2% per year. Year on year this will have a significant impact on consumption and will reduce wasteful use of resources.

Another part of the government’s plans is a set goal of achieving a 20% durable energy production of total by the year 2020. Next to the alternatives to the use of fossil raw materials, like solar, wind and hydro power there is also bio mass. This is because it is also renewable and does not affect the climate negatively.
Another important commitment the government has made is its goal to reduce carbon emissions by 30% in 2020. This is target has been set in the policy document entitled: ”Werkprogramma Schoon en Zuinig” (lit. Working programme Clean and Economical). Below is a schematic demonstrating the desire process flow-chart for the bio based economy.

Source: Werkprogramma Schoon en Zuinig

The flow chart shows the sources and the eventual end-products that result from an efficiently regulated bio-based economy. The government has not only made the commitment to have the targets increase yearly, it has also expressed its desire to review whether regulation can be made even more stringent with the passage of time and the subsequent advent of technological improvements.

The Dutch food industry in comparison to the EU and the rest of the world is one that can be considered a leading entity in research and development and one that has some of the most efficient domestic logistical supply lines. Regulation of all food related matters is complex and very comprehensive covering every conceivable angle of the food industry. The agricultural sector is highly influential on the overall food sector. Next to that the agricultural sector has a very strong influence on regulation and is therefore one of the most potent agricultural sectors in the EU.

In the next five years to 2013, Agentchap NL estimates total food consumption to increase by 4.1% to reach EUR24.6bn (US$31.3bn) in 2013. Per capita consumption is expected to increase by 3.0% over the same period.

Source: Agentschap NL

The Netherlands has a highly positive food and trade balance thanks to its large agricultural sector and advanced food processing industry. According to the Dutch Agency for International Business and Co-operation (Agentschap NL), the Dutch food and drink industry generates around half of its revenues abroad. Dutch exports are boosted by the country’s geographic location in the centre of Europe and by the increased homogenization of European consumption. EVD reveals that Dutch meat and meat products are the most important in terms of export value. The next most important sector is dairy and other important sectors include processed fruit and vegetables and juices, sugar, confectionery, coffee and tea, edible oil, non-alcoholic beverages and processed foods.

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