The colorful bulb fields along the dune edge of the Egmonden are a tourist attraction every spring. But its future is under pressure. Bulb farmers still use pesticides, but how long will this be accepted? This is a question, especially near nature reserves such as Egmond aan de Hoef.
Why not grow organically?
“You should see it this way: if a person gets sick, you also use medicine,” says bulb farmer Jan Pepping. “We have protection to prevent our crops from getting sick, but the urge to grow organically is increasing.”
But it is a risk for bulb farmers to switch. “Producing organic bulbs takes a lot more land and you simply have a greater chance of a crop failure,” says Pepping. “That is why this pilot from the municipality is a unique opportunity for us.”
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