Indian horticultural experts gain experience in the Netherlands

Internationalizationand the horticultural sector are inextricably connected. The Netherlands havean undisputed top position in the world in the field of growth and technology,and is in volume one of the largest exporters of greenhouse vegetables andornamental flower products and technology. For this reason Indian horticulturalexperts came to the Netherlands in April to gain experience and information,writes Frank Horlaar on Flynth’s website.

Internationalization

The horticultural sector is complex, and underwent a century ofdevelopment in the Netherlands. To set up successful horticultural projects inthe rest of the world, it is important to transfer knowledge and experience inan effective manner.

Internationalizationis also a sensitive subject, because not all players in the cluster are ashappy with the border crossing activities. The greenhouse builders andsuppliers bring knowledge and technology and thus help the competitors of Dutchgrowers to gain market position is a complaint often heard. Knowledge is givenaway and the Dutch market position undermined.

Alternativebusiness model

The ruling thought still seemsto be that this process just cannot be stopped, and that the Dutchhorticultural cluster should seize the opportunities globalization is offering.New international business models based on the development of knowledge asalternative to a possible decrease in export of greenhouse vegetables, flowers,and plants, is what policy makers and governments are propagating.Digitization of knowledge and expertise is a very importantinstrument. Remote controlling and optimizing growth processes could be such analternative business model.

Transferring knowledge and experience

Togetherwith knowledge partner HAS Hogeschool, Flynth has carried out several trainingcourses in The Netherlands, but in April 2018 the first international knowledgetransfer project took place. As a representative of the World Horti Center,Flynth has organized a training for 10 horticultural experts from the Indianorganizations Biotech in Noida and National Institute of Post HarvestTechnology in Pune. The training is aimed at the substrate growth of gerberas and roses in a modern growth environment (foil greenhouses with mechanicalventilation and automated control of climate, irrigation and fertilization) andis part of an overarching ‘Dutch-Indo’ cooperation project intended to form afoundation of several Centers of Expertise in India, one of which will befalling under the responsibility of the National Institute of Post HarvestTechnology in Pune.

Intervisions

PUMNetherlands senior experts offer support in realizing the centers. In thistraining Flynth is cooperating closely with Lentiz and HAS Hogeschool, which,as renowned training institutes, have provided a large part of the trainingcontent. The participants of the training have an academic background and yearsof experience in growing various horticultural crops in the field. Theparticipants take the training to guide the substrate growth of roses andgerberas in the foil greenhouse, to be completed in September 2018, and to usethe knowledge learned to instruct and inform thousands of growers and farmersabout sustainable growth methods in their turn. The training lasted a month,and besides the content and theoretical treatment of subjects such ascultivation methods, growing media and substrates, irrigation and fertigation,and greenhouse technology, several company visits and intervisions with growersand suppliers made up an important part of the program.

Perfect system

With prideand enthusiasm cooperation partners Lentiz, HAS Hogeschool, and Flynth lookback on a successful training, which lasted for the entire month of May. FrankHollaar, section leader greenhouse horticulture at Flynth and responsible forthe realization of the training: “A project like this makes you realize what anincredibly perfect and coherent system the Dutch greenhouse horticulture reallyis. We managed to show the Indian experts everything which could possibly beshown which is relevant to their task of introducing sustainable and efficientgrowth methods in India within a radius of 100 km. This project is a clearconfirmation for Flynth that we can play an important role in theinternationalization of the horticulture as business service provider andsector experts.”

The companies which have opened the doors totrainees and have contributed to the training are:
- Holstein Flowers
- BM Roses
- Van Dijk Flowers
- Van der Drift Roses
- Tuinbouwbedrijf Kees Stijger
- Allure Gerbera's
- BN Roses
- Schouten Opti-Fleurs
- World Horti Center
- Hoogendoorn Growth Management
- Priva
- Delphy
- Koppert Biological Systems
- Rijk Zwaan
- Florist
- Dümmen Orange
- Royal Flora Holland

Other partners who made this successful traininghappen are:
- Hotel Saint Vincent
- Hofstad Tours
- HollandDoor

For more information:
Flynth
www.flynth.nl
info@flynth.nl

Maaike Eikelenboom
maaike.eikelenboom@flynth.nl

Frank Horlaar
frank.hollaar@flynth.nl