Several days after the storm that swept through North and Central Limburg in the Netherlands and across the border into Germany, the extent of the damage is becoming clearer. The Limburg Agricultural and Horticultural Association has confirmed that numerous greenhouses have sustained damage, either to their roofs from hail or to their crops from flooding. The regions of Belfeld, Venlo, and Reuver have been particularly affected, with businesses reporting significant losses.
Fons Kersten, Chief Executive of the Limburg Agricultural and Horticultural Association (LLTB), stated that horticultural companies have been the hardest hit, but entrepreneurs in arable farming, vegetable, and fruit cultivation have also been impacted. The damage includes broken greenhouse windows, damaged crops, incomplete harvests, and even businesses being forced to halt operations. “The damage is primarily material and requires extensive repair work,” Kersten said. “We sympathize with the affected entrepreneurs and are maintaining direct communication with our members. The LLTB will support them wherever possible, even if it’s just by providing a listening ear.”
In collaboration with Glastuinbouw Nederland, the LLTB is working closely with local horticulturists to assess the damage and explore support options. Peter van Bree, the regional chairman of Glastuinbouw Nederland for Limburg, is visiting affected horticulturists and reports that most have experienced significant damage. “Some entrepreneurs mention that, depending on the crop, they prefer the rain now rather than earlier or later in the season since they are nearing the end of their growing cycle. However, damage is still unwelcome,” Van Bree explained. “We are exploring ways to support affected horticulturists wherever possible.”
Insurers are currently working with entrepreneurs to assess the damage from the storm. A spokesperson from L1 indicated that the full extent of the damage might not be known until well after the storm has passed. The Limburg-Noord Safety Region reported receiving around 40 reports of storm and water damage but noted that it was not worse than damage from other storms. GFActueel reported that more than 20 greenhouse horticulture companies were affected, according to insurer Interpolis.
Hortisectur and insurer Gartenbau-Versicherung Nederland, after visiting all affected companies, shared key findings. In some locations, water damage was caused by heavy rainfall combined with damaged greenhouse roofs. Managing disease pressure is a critical focus in these situations. Another important consideration is keeping a sufficient stock of glass, as glass supplies were not up to standard everywhere. They also noted that tempered glass proved to be more resistant to hail than float glass.
Greenhouse repair companies, such as HS Tuinbouw Service, are now busy repairing the damage. The following video shows the extent of the repairs being carried out.
