Foreword

Never a dull moment

2022 was an exceptional and very busy year for the board. We convened an additional meeting with our three sector boards prompted by the energy crisis and sharply rising inflation and cost prices. These developments were due in part to the conflict in Ukraine. The sector boards advised the board how to deal with these challenges at Naktuinbouw. The board finalised a number of scenarios.

Unbundling

On 1 March 2022, we transferred the maintenance and propagation service of fruit crops to the Clean Fruit Plants Foundation. Until then this work was done at Naktuinbouw’s Test Center in Horst. In 2019, the Naktuinbouw board decided that the tasks of ‘Maintaining and making available (multiplying) high-quality pre-basic propagating material’ would no longer match the core tasks of Naktuinbouw in the near future.

The impartiality requirements of accreditations 17020 and 17025 formed the basis for this decision.

Technology

As a component of our Naktuinbouw Next Level ambition, we are drafting our vision on technology. In the coming years, Naktuinbouw will make extra investments in digitisation, robotisation and data use, and new methods and techniques. This is essential to fulfil our ambition of being the knowledge and expertise centre in the field of propagating material in the horticultural sector. We are engaged in a process of making tasks increasingly more efficient, sensitive, faster, easier and better.

Technology and new developments are always the focal point of the knowledge platforms we organise for companies and managers. Last year we organised two events. Both were very popular with high attendance figures and were highly appreciated by the participants.

The board also approved the ‘Future Plans for Resistance Testing’ report drawn up by the management team.

Regulations

The Inspection Regulations dating from 2018 were due for review. New regulations were established during the course of the year and formally adopted at the end of the year. In early 2023, we expect to receive the necessary approval from the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV). When approval has been granted, the new version will be published on our website.

End of term and new board members

In the past year, two board members - Jan van Leeuwen (LTO) and Henk Westerhof (Royal Anthos) - left the board because their maximum statutory term of appointment had been reached. Aad Vollebregt and Mark-Jan Terwindt were appointed as their successors.

Surplus returned to the business sector

In 2021, we noted an operating surplus of €2 million. This was largely returned to the registered companies in the past year. The surplus led to an improvement in the prognosis system we use.

To close, I would like to thank all our board members and staff for their dedication and effort in the past year. A first-rate performance!

I hereby declare that Naktuinbouw is ‘in control’, in the sense of the in control statement, as referred to in the “Framework of standards for financial management and internal supervision” of the LNV.

Agnes van Ardenne
Chairperson board of Naktuinbouw