A busy week is coming up for the team at Dutch Greenery. At their demo greenhouse in Pak Chong, Thailand, they're hosting their annual Field Days. Over 700 people are expected to visit. According to Wim Damsteegt, the plants look well despite the weather being warm, even by Thai standards. "That's thanks to the techniques we're applying, and that's exactly what we're showing to the growers visiting the Field Days."
The crops were ready for the demo days, and so was Wim's wife, who he has been running the company with for many years.
Crop advice, varieties, and techniques
"We're showcasing many new and existing varieties, but the main focus is on crop advice," says Wim, who moved to Thailand almost 30 years ago. Ever since, he's been active in the greenhouse industry, including the sale of greenhouse supplies and technical materials, as well as the distribution of seeds and substrates. Dutch Greenery is a distributor of BVB Substrates and Rijk Zwaan and a dealer of Greenspan greenhouses. "We aim to elevate vegetable cultivation to a higher level. Growing in the tropics comes with several challenges, and over the years, we've been focusing on helping growers address these."
As an example, he explains how crop protection can differ when dealing with high temperatures and high humidity. "We provide growers with knowledge on Integrated Pest Management Strategies and also showcase automation and spraying solutions."
The Dutch Greenery facility consists of several types of net and greenhouses, to offer a complete overview on the possibilities of what can be achieved with several techniques and varieties."We strive to support growers from the start of the season - or even before it - by assisting with demos, selection of the right varieties, different growing media, and also by demonstrating proper sowing techniques."
Automation
Wim sees the horticultural industry gradually expand. Dutch Greenery, together with partners, also shares information on different types of greenhouses and irrigation systems, and new products come in demand as the industry evolves. "Automation, coupled with greenhouse climate control, is also of relevance."
An example of this is the Priva presentation, showing their Priva Compass. "A notable trend is emerging in Southeast Asia, where new entrants are opting for simpler, entry-level solutions tailored to the region’s tropical conditions," explains Manuel Madani with Priva South East Asia, who sees the Priva Compass offers a valuable tool in these regions. "From managing irrigation to controlling climate conditions, the Southeast Asia Compass provides support for greenhouses, catering simplicity and ranging from smaller individual greenhouses to a cluster of 20 hectares/greenhouses. It's an accessible, economical, and practical solutions for greenhouse operations. Designed to accommodate the needs of smaller-scale greenhouses and tunnels, this innovative system empowers growers to achieve success without overwhelming complexity."
Also, locally developed solutions for the Thai market are present, such as the products of the local Thai company E-Power Service, a developer of hardware and software, including sensors and climate control tools. Recently, they launched their Automatic Fertilizer Machine and their Automatic Dosing Machine.
The Dutch Greenery Field Days 2024 started today and will last until Friday, February 23.
For more information:
Wim Damsteegt
Dutch Greenery
dutchgreenery@gmail.com