DPC kicks off the New Year
Traditionally, the DPC kicked off the New Year with a members’ meeting in The Mereveld farmstead in Utrecht. The New Year reception drew a lot of interest, including a delegation from China. It became the kick-off for a year packed with the necessary activities.
On the 10th of January, The Mereveld farmstead in Utrecht was once again the venue for the New Year reception of the DPC and the VIV. The meeting was well attended and the presence of a Chinese delegation gave it an international flair. “It is good to see each other again”, said DPC chairman Jan Wolleswinkel in his opening remarks, extending wishes for a prosperous, successful, and healthy 2024 to all attendees. A special welcome was addressed to Willem Iving of the new member QS Vets from Amsterdam. It will be another exciting year for the DPC. The first club meeting in the New Year is the market café on Wednesday the 20th of March at Hatchtech in Veenendaal. A conference on ‘Poultry farming in the current era, particularly in the Netherlands’ might be held in May or June. The DPC management board is actively seeking a replacement for Jan Hulzebosch, the relationship manager who sadly passed away too soon and unexpectedly. The chairman appealed to the members for their help in the search and/or to put forward suggestions for candidates.
Birgit Horn, the managing director of VIV Worldwide, echoed the New Year's wishes of Jan Wolleswinkel. She introduced her strongly changed team and declared that, in partnership with Victam, the VIV will be organising a ‘Health and Nutrition’ fair in Bangkok from the 12th to the 14th of March. Another VIV Africa is also on the programme. This fair will be held in Kigali, Rwanda, from the 2nd to the 3rd of October. A fresh initiative by the VIV is an international event about digitisation in agriculture, set to take place in Utrecht this September. This is a platform where technology providers will have the opportunity to share their vision and services in the field of technology and Internet possibilities with interested parties.
Seize your opportunity in China.
The esteem for Dutch agriculture among numerous foreign policymakers and business leaders was emphasised by Toen Ping Oey (DPC China consultant) when he introduced a small Chinese delegation. He escorted this group from poultry giant Jiangsu Yike Food Co. Mr Tian Liyu, the company’s director, said he was impressed by the technology that the Dutch poultry industry possesses, develops, and produces. In their company, with its 1.3 million ducks and one million broilers, these applications could be employed in many areas. Oey underscored the fact that Jiangsu Yike Food Co. is one of the many Chinese companies in search of innovative technologies. Opportunities abound in China, and Dutch firms can aid in addressing challenges in the poultry sector. However, he stressed, you will need to establish your presence and reputation in China. One of the first opportunities to connect with the Chinese market will present itself on the 17th of May, prior to the China Animal Husbandry Expo 2024, which is scheduled from the 18th to the 20th of May in Nanchang. On the 17th of May, there will be a seminar focusing on potential solutions to the problems frequently encountered in Chinese poultry farming. “Use this platform”, said Mr Oey, and set up an account on ‘WeChat’, the Chinese counterpart to western social media, to engage with the Chinese market.
Before the reception got fully under way with snacks and drinks, Piet Simons was given the opportunity to present his new book ‘Layer Signals Checkbook’. He did that by giving the first copies to Briget Horn and Jan Wolleswinkel. It was a fitting time to propose a toast to the new book and the New Year, which commenced with a lively New Year's drink.
