Dutch gov't, farmers fail to reach deal on agricultural sector's future

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA) – The Dutch government was unable to reach an agreement with the farmers regarding the future of the country's agricultural sector, local media reported Thursday.

Despite nearly 24 hours of negotiations, the cabinet and farmers' organizations were unable to reach an agreement, as reported by public broadcaster NOS. The main point of contention was determining the amount of funds that would be allocated to farmers for nature conservation purposes.

In response to the situation, Agriculture Minister Piet Adema commented, "It has been a long day. We have made significant progress, but we have not yet reached a final agreement."

He further mentioned that it might take a few more weeks to conclude a deal.

According to NOS, one of the points on which the parties could not reach an agreement is the protection of farmers who wish to continue working on the land.

Since December, Adema has been engaged in discussions with various stakeholders, including farmers' and environmental organizations, supermarkets, and banks, regarding the future of agriculture in the period leading up to 2040.

The objective of the discussions is to address the necessary changes to halve nitrogen emissions by 2030, thereby enabling the achievement of climate and water targets.