Think Grain Think Feed had the opportunity to engage in a candid conversation with
Mr. Michiel van Erkel, the Agriculture Counselor at the Embassy of the Netherlands in India and Sri Lanka, during Poultry India. In this insightful discussion, Mr. Erkel shared his perspectives on the role of Dutch expertise in supporting the growth of India’s livestock sector and the future plans for fostering deeper agricultural cooperation between the two countries. Below are the key excerpts from the interview.
Having spent your entire career in the Netherlands before taking the Agriculture Counselor role in India, how has your experience been in transitioning between these two agricultural landscapes?
I’ve been in India for four years now. My career began as a civil servant, with a significant portion of it spent outside of agriculture. However, I’ve always maintained a broad perspective, and working in agriculture here has been nothing short of a fantastic adventure. India is a growth market, and I have witnessed this firsthand, especially in the poultry sector. Events like Poultry India showcase this vibrancy—every year, the exhibition grows, with new innovations and Dutch companies treating it as a family reunion. It’s gratifying to see Dutch companies thriving in India with minimal intervention on my part.
How does the Indian farming system compare with Dutch agriculture?
The Indian system is distinct, dominated by small and medium-sized farmers, unlike the highly efficient Dutch model. The Netherlands, despite its size being comparable to Kerala and a smaller population than Delhi, is the world’s second-largest agricultural exporter. Cooperatives have played a vital role in our success. Our farmers realized the power of unity early on, forming cooperatives that strengthened their market presence. I see similar efforts in India through Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), such as Amul and Sahyadri Farms.
Adapting the Dutch model to India’s context, with its vast number of smallholders, is challenging. Consolidation will take decades, but the drive towards stronger cooperatives and processing industries is encouraging. It’s essential to tailor solutions to India’s realities while leveraging Dutch experience. Of course, in the poultry sector, we also see many family-owned, well-established companies operating vertically across the entire chain. Many of these have formed successful partnerships and businesses with Dutch providers of technology and knowledge.
What role do Dutch companies play in supporting Indian agriculture?
Dutch companies bring experience in areas like farm management, feed management, and vocational training. For example, while innovations showcased at Poultry India are impressive, they can feel unattainable for smallholders. Our goal is to bridge this gap by providing farmers with knowledge and technology to create sustainable ecosystems. At the same time, we work together with Dutch companies and the Indian sector on financial solutions, either here in India or from international sources.
We also support vocational training to empower smallholders. Dutch partnerships with entities like Omnivore, which invests in solutions for farmers rather than individual farmers, reflect a promising approach. Furthermore, our Centers of Excellence (CoEs), established in collaboration with India’s Mission Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), focus on horticulture and protective cultivation.
Could you elaborate on the Centers of Excellence and their impact?
We currently have about nine operational CoEs, focusing on areas such as potatoes, vegetables, and flowers. For instance, our center in Baramati, Maharashtra, excels in vegetable cultivation. A newer center in Kerala focuses on both vegetables and flowers. We are also expanding into public-private CoEs, such as AGROTIE in Bangalore, a family-owned company that started its own CoE. We recently signed an agreement to have them recognized as an Indo-Dutch CoE.
Looking ahead, we aim to establish CoEs for dairy and animal husbandry in collaboration with the Center of Excellence for Animal Husbandry (CEAH) in Bangalore. Just like the horticulture centers, this center will adapt global expertise to local needs. In the case of dairy, we will demonstrate practical solutions such as silage preparation, improved farm management, feed management, and productivity enhancements tailored for smallholders.
In previous discussions, you mentioned that the embassy is supporting Indian companies to explore the Dutch market. Could you share some recent examples of such initiatives?
India’s potential as a global food powerhouse is immense. I advise that the country focus on regional markets and export niche Indian products to Europe. Many Indian companies are exploring the EU market after establishing their base in the Netherlands. It is an excellent hub, with the Port of Rotterdam as the number one gateway to Europe, its expertise in logistics, and a well-educated, English-speaking workforce. For example, companies like Sonalika have successfully exported their low-horsepower electric tractors to European countries after setting up their base in the Netherlands. Indian companies in the shrimp sector also participate in European exhibitions to gain market access.
With India’s start-up ecosystem growing rapidly, are Dutch companies looking to invest in Indian start-ups, especially in the agricultural sector?
Indeed, a couple of companies are looking into investing in Indian start-ups. A nice example is the investment of Nutreco (Trouw Nutrition for animal feed and their aquaculture feed branch, Skretting), and eventually the acquisition of the Indian start-up Eruvaka. Nutreco saw the fascinating Eruvaka feeding technology as a good addition to their business in India. Many investments in start-ups are facilitated through venture capital firms like Omnivore, in which the Netherlands’ public-private entrepreneurial development bank, FMO, has taken a significant share.
Are there any new strategies being implemented to reduce agriculture’s carbon footprint and promote environmental sustainability?
Both our countries are serious about climate change and the need for global action to adapt to and mitigate these changes. The Netherlands, lying largely below sea level, faces rising water levels, while India faces both drought and flooding. The Dutch farmers’ cooperative Rabobank launched an interesting initiative, Acorn, to empower smallholder farmers worldwide in their transition to sustainable agroforestry, issuing carbon credits accordingly.
As you approach the completion of your tenure in 2025, what are your key priorities, and what lessons will you carry forward?
I will be sad to leave India, knowing that even after more than four years, I will have only had a glimpse of this fascinating and impressive country and its states, cities, and people. For this year, my key priorities remain the same: horticulture and the dairy sector. I hope to have realized nearly 20 Centers of Excellence, identified or operational, close to the number agreed upon between the honorable Prime Minister Modi and the former Netherlands Prime Minister Rutte. My team and I, at the Embassy and with our offices pan-India, will also work on embedding the strong bilateral relationship in agriculture into the broader Strategic Partnership, envisioned in the very near future between India and the Netherlands.
