Magazine: The Netherlands is one of the driving forces of the world market

The Netherlands is the world’s 5th biggest product exporter and in 2016 the country exported goods in the value of nearly USD 668 billion – this sum represents 3.5 percent of the world’s total export. The country is also the world’s 2nd biggest agri-food product exporter and from the world’s top 40 food and drink manufacturers 12 have R&D centres in the Netherlands. Elzo Molenberg, deputy head of mission at the Embassy of the Netherlands in Budapest told our magazine that the country is one of the biggest distribution and logistics centres on the continent.

Elzo Molenberg
deputy head of mission
Embassy of the Netherlands

Groceries, livestock, drinks and tobacco products make up for 62.5 percent of the Netherlands’ total export. About 79 percent of Dutch export stays in Europe, the country’s biggest trading partner is Germany and Hungary is 25th in this ranking. Mr Elzo told that in the last few years Dutch agri-food products were exported to Hungary in an annual value of EUR 450-500 million, the most important products being groceries and flowers. Hungary exports to the Netherlands for about EUR 325 million a year, mainly cereal crops.

Mr Elzo added that Dutch companies had already discovered the Hungarian market in the 1990s, where they have been present ever since. His view is that Hungary isn’t an easy market to conquer, because there are bureaucratic and linguistic obstacles, and the business environment is rather incalculable. One of the Dutch Embassy’s main tasks is to help Dutch companies in Hungary – with customised information, market surveys and business matchmaking events. //