Speech of Jan Hak at Groundbreaking Ceremony in QiQiHar Keshan

“Dear friends, ladies and gentlemen,

Today is a great day for all of us to celebrate the ground breaking for our Sino-Dutch HiTech Integrated Potato Chain Development Park, here in QiQiHar-Keshan, Heilongjiang.

An excellent and leading example in China of Sino-Dutch cooperation in establishing:
1. The most modern sustainable potato production faciltities from breeding through cultivation, storage and processing of over 300.000 ton into market ready innovative potato products as well as 2. the advanced Agriculture Machinery workshop for assembling and construction of systems for planting, cultivation, harvesting, storage and handling potatoes and other crops.
It is for me and my family also a dream being realised, becoming true.
Already my grandfather was cultivating and selling potatoes. He established the well-known HAK facilities for preserving fruits and vegetables. Ever remaining at the forefront of innovation in the Agri-Food sector in Europe.

My first personal experience with China was in 1985  leading a Dutch Potato expert mission to Beijing. Establishing good communication channels and stimulating cooperation between:
– the Netherlands being the worlds’ largest exporter of seedpotato, origin of most advanced mechanisation, storage and processing technology in the world
and
– China being worlds largest potato producer involved many more studies, missions and experiences.
Finally resulting in joint venture cooperation like with Keshan Renfa Agriculture Development Cooperatives.

Today our ground breaking celebration in the center of China’s Pototo Zone fits perfect in China Governments Policy to make potato the strategic stable food and in the present 5 year plan to double it’s production area. Dutch expertise in technology and mechanisation will be highly involved in realising such goals and be an important part of China’s Belt and Road overall modernisation and cooperation programm.
My families’ decision to cooperate with Keshan Renfa Agriculture Development Coopetative is based on many deep studies and evaluations.

Leading elements are:
1. The  worldmarket demand especially in China for advanced added value potato products,
2. the excellent soils in Northern Heilongjiang Province are ready for large scale mechanisation and
3. the trust relationship with the Keshan enterpreneurial farmers are ready for foreign investment cooperation.
4. Last but not least also based on the great help of local officials facilitating the deep studies, stimulating personal relationships and providing various support.

Our joint-ventures will be leading in their respective sectors in China of potato products and agri machinery, create more and more advanced technology and productformulations. They will bring prosperity to local communities serving the continuous development of China’s economy and society.

We wish our cooperation great success and prosperity!
Thank you.”