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  3. Organic trees

Organic trees

In 2016 Van den Berk Nurseries began cultivating organic trees. There was little organic seed stock on the market at the time, but that did not have to be a problem because the cycle has to start somewhere and the legislation makes provision for this. Following a total transition period of three years, one of which was exclusively for the soil, we started with a small one hectare test plot. Each successive year we added a new plot. In the coming years we will continue to scale up our production of organic trees.

Quality

The results are positive: these are healthy, excellent quality trees that are on a par with similar trees cultivated elsewhere in the nursery. This is partly because over the past 15 years we have substantially reduced our use of plant protection products in our regular cultivation. As a result, we have accumulated a great deal of knowledge about alternative cultivation methods and resources. Organic tree cultivation is a natural fit with these developments, and our experiences have been encouraging. The cultivation process is more labour-intensive, however, which means that the prices are higher than those for our regular cultivated stock.

SKAL Biocontrol, the Dutch organic control authority A product is organic if it has been certified in accordance with the applicable Dutch and European legislation. ‘Organic’ is a legally protected designation. The process leading up to organic cultivation starts with a transition period for the soil. This excludes the risk of discovering residues of plant protection products used in the past. Once the plot has been approved, organic cultivation can begin. In principle, organic cultivation means not using chemical plant protection products or artificial fertiliser. There is also legislation concerning equipment and its cleaning. In the Netherlands, SKAL Biocontrol is the authority that oversees the organic supply chain. It inspects plots and products and is responsible for certification. More information on the legislation can be found at: skal.nl/en.