As a net electrical energy manufacturer , Flemish agriculture and horticulture , particularly glasshouse gardening , play an important social function . Advocacy group Boerenbond points this out . A novel cry for help from the constitution reached all the newspapers . Boerenbond president Lode Ceyssens himself went to visit ornamental grower Wimceco in Boechout and vegetable raiser Johan Van Bulck in Putte .

A recent Boerenbond penis survey showed that many glasshouse grower are currently still relying on executable gas price thanks to previously accord fixed contracts . More than half of greenhouse growers ' petrol contracts decease at the end of this year . At that peak , the impingement of the crisis will be many times cracking .

altered harvest , scarce any tomatoesThe same survey indicate that cultivator will take steps as a answer of the energy crisis . A whole number of growers say they will grow at lower temperatures or even just make trusted the greenhouse remain frost - free . About 25 % of farms are view temporarily stopping and planting later or leaving ( section of ) the greenhouse empty , resulting in less yield . Crops under visible light ( like tomatoes ) are expected to be almost non - existent this winter .

The latter word was clean up by many culture medium exit . Newspapers tumbled over each other to announce that there are going to be virtually no Belgian tomatoes this wintertime . Het Nieuwsbladsays there will not even be any Belgian tomato at Delhaize this wintertime . De Tijdalso dwells on the tomato shortage . The newspaper spoke to the aforementioned grower Johan .

StoppingThere are also growers who indicate to Boerenbond that they will end their business activity due to explode energy toll . This could have far - reaching issue , not only for intellectual nourishment production , with local garden truck losing ledge place , but also for employment and jobs .

Today , some 4,200 lasting employee work in greenhouse farming , mainly in veggie production . If a issue of party do not start up or only partially lead off up next year , an estimated 25 % - 30 % of lasting workers could become temporarily unemployed , and a possible layoff threatens 10 % to 15 % of permanent employees in the greenhouse gardening sector , Boerenbond calculates .

630,000 familiesSo growers are taking drastic measures to control energy neb . A grading back of activity in gardening make major consequence on local energy yield and on the sector ’s function in providing a equilibrium on the electrical energy power system .

Flemish greenhouse farmers are major energy producers . Glasshouse gardening supplies some 630,000 families with energy , which is more mob than there are in the entire province of East Flanders . " Or put another direction , Flemish greenhouse horticulture today produce as much vigor as one nuclear power industrial plant , " he said .

" In addition to Doel 3 ( one of two atomic great power plants in Belgium ) , another of import vigour producer is therefore at endangerment of evaporate if our horticulturists can not keep their heads above water supply . Specifically , this could lead to the loss of almost 1/3 of this energy or the energy production for 200,000 mob , " aver Boerenbond president Lode Ceyssens during the visit to some greenhouse farms . “Therefore , we ask the authority to patronage these companies in every possible agency so that they do not have to ( temporarily ) cease operations . "

Boerenbond recommend the government to issue a tender very before long in which party that voluntarily habituate less natural gas will be remunerate for this . For growers , it is essential to know as shortly as potential whether such a tender will be go forth , as this will be critical in deciding whether or not to embed fresh crop in the come week and month .

Source : Boerenbond