"Every time we are surprised by the ideas of our clients"

“Why would you build a greenhouse on a roof in the middle of the city, with all the compromises and investments you have to make? Why not get out of the city, only 10 or 20 kilometers, to have a simple greenhouse with a smaller investment, and it gives the same solution.” Indoor farming With the TAP kit, Israeli company Teshuva Agricultural…

CAN (BC): "We have discovered the cannabis industry is not quite ready for outsourcing plant propagation"

AgraFlora Organics (formerly PUF Ventures), announces its joint venture company Propagation Services Canada is to focus on the cultivation of cannabis flowering plants and conduct propagation for its own internal needs. "and therefore will move to cultivate cannabis flowering plants due to the superior economics," said…

"In Mexico, you do business with persons, not with companies"

If the greenhouse horticulture is on the rise in a country, logistics freight forwarder Allport Netherlands usually immediately notices this in the number of requests and the…

It’s possible to grow more cucumbers via AI

The first International Autonomous Greenhouse Challenge was won by team Sonoma. The team defeated four other international teams, consisting of experts in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and horticulture. The Challenge - organized by Wageningen University & Research and sponsored by Tencent…

Argus appoints new Strategic Supply Chain Manager, Cindy Sonnenberg

Argus Controls has hired Cindy Sonnenberg as their new Strategic Supply Chain Manager. Cindy has over 30 years’ experience streamlining supply chain business processes and practices for all types of companies – from fast-growing small businesses to Fortune 100 enterprises. She is experienced in all aspects of materials…

"We offer Australia’s growers something they haven’t been receiving from overseas suppliers"

"We don’t just sell seeds. We grow plants suited to Australia’s unique conditions then we follow up with comprehensive grower support." Speaking is Graham Brown , founder of Abundant Produce. The Australian company breeds varieties specifically for the Australian market and conditions. Over the coming…

US: Farm Bill Conference Committee delivers final bill

The 2018 Farm Bill Conference Committee has released a final bill for Congress to vote on. Agriculture Committee Chairmen Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., and Rep. K. Michael Conaway, R-Texas, and Ranking Members Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., and Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minn., released the text of the…

Floral holidays with edible roses

A luxury Christmas dinner with a floral touch or festive toasting on the new year with a colorful glass of champagne. Rose growers Rodewijk focus fully on the holidays with their edible roses 'Rosalicious'. Restaurants, bakeries and catering industry "The biggest difference is not in the cultivation, but in the sales", says…

International interest for HortiContact Tour 2019

The preliminary registrations for the HortiContact Tour (19 and 20 February 2019) show that international growers around the world travel to the Netherlands to become acquainted with the latest developments in Dutch greenhouse horticulture. Over the past period, the organization received registrations of…

Digestate as alternative substrate for soil-less lettuce farming

The consumption of ready-to-eat salad has been growing over the last 20 years in the European market. The annual growth rate is at 4%. That's why this food category is renowned as one of the most profitable horticultural segments. As a result of a growing trend, the lettuce and chicory are farmed over a 1.2 million…

Slow start for Florida bell pepper season

Suppliers of bell peppers are reporting that it's been a slow start for the Florida bell pepper season. It's unclear what the reason for this is as the weather has been largely favorable in South Florida, the location of the current season. Additionally, there are reports of a lighter crop which has been…

A greenhouse has been shot into space

A greenhouse satellite of the German Aerospace Center (DLR), with which the cultivation of tomatoes and other vegetables on the Moon or Mars is to be tested, has successfully…

It’s possible to grow more cucumbers via AI

The first International Autonomous Greenhouse Challenge was won by team Sonoma. The team defeated four other international teams, consisting of experts in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and horticulture. The Challenge - organized by Wageningen University & Research and sponsored by Tencent…

A new greenhouse in Sakhalin collects crops

The greenhouse complex in Nevelsky region have collected the first crops last month. The local dwellers have tasted the produce of the enterprise, built in the shortest terms possible. The greenhouse complex has provided 1.5 tons of tomatoes and hundreds of kilos of cucumbers. Until the end of the year,…

A greenhouse in the eternal ice: vegetable gardening in the Antarctic

Paul Zabel from the German Aerospace Center is operating a greenhouse in the Antarctic, where tomatoes, lettuce and cucumbers flourish. For future space missions, plant cultivation is to be tested under difficult conditions. Photo: DLR In the past few months, Paul Zabel had to cope with bad weather conditions. For a whole polar winter,…

Turkey: Tomato grower goes bananas

A greenhouse tomato grower in Mugla (Turkey) decided to switch from tomato to an alternative product after years of low returns on his investment. After his research and visit to banana greenhouses in Alanya, he planted 600 banana trees around 3 months ago and will harvest the first batch of products…

Russia: New high-tech greenhouse opened in Kaliningrad

The biggest high-tech greenhouse in the region, at 3.3 hectares, was opened in the Gvardeysky region in Kaliningrad. The minister of agriculture for the Kaliningrad area, Ms. Natalia Shevtsova, reported that the complex by LLC Orbita-Agro aims to grow 900 tons of tomatoes and greenery per year. It is worth noting that…

Don't keep a fruit bowl near your Christmas tree

A fruit bowl filled with Clementines, grapes, apricots, pears, plums, pomegranates, dates and bananas makes your room look much more festive. But, as some fruit ripens, it gives off a gas that can prematurely wilt your tree. Ethylene is omitted by stone fruit and bananas, causing other ethylene-sensitive fruits, like…

Australia: Towrang greenhouses project raises hackles

Three large greenhouses “the size of football fields” will be built at Towrang, upsetting rural residents concerned about visual and other impacts. But the applicant, Ace Chan and his…

Digestate as alternative substrate for soil-less lettuce farming

The consumption of ready-to-eat salad has been growing over the last 20 years in the European market. The annual growth rate is at 4%. That's why this food category is renowned as one of the most profitable horticultural segments. As a result of a growing trend, the lettuce and chicory are farmed over a 1.2 million…

PROLIFIC project promises new uses for legume, mushroom and coffee waste

PROLIFIC is a new European research project with the partnership of 17 partners from 8 European countries. It’s ambitious goal is to transform waste from legumes, mushrooms…

"Every time we are surprised by the ideas of our clients"

“Why would you build a greenhouse on a roof in the middle of the city, with all the compromises and investments you have to make? Why not get out of the city, only 10 or 20 kilometers, to have a simple greenhouse with a smaller investment, and it gives the same solution.” Indoor farming With the TAP kit, Israeli company Teshuva Agricultural…

Argus appoints new Strategic Supply Chain Manager, Cindy Sonnenberg

Argus Controls has hired Cindy Sonnenberg as their new Strategic Supply Chain Manager. Cindy has over 30 years’ experience streamlining supply chain business processes and practices for all types of companies – from fast-growing small businesses to Fortune 100 enterprises. She is experienced in all aspects of materials…

US: From food safety training to audit day

An audit or inspection can be a nerve-racking experience for any business owner. Farmers in North and South Carolina, however, have greatly benefited from having a trusted ally – the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (CFSA) – to help them through the process. Through their Local Produce Food Safety…

US (FL): Two UF/IFAS researchers inducted into AAAS

Among their many accomplishments, one may be best known for trying to grow plants in space; the other, for helping growers battle bacterial spot disease of tomato. The two University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences professors have been named fellows of the American Association for…

Greenhouse farming offers lifeline for Zimbabwe’s unemployed

When Perpetua Muziri lost her office job, she paid a local company to put up two, 120-square-meter (1,292-square-foot) greenhouses in the backyard of her suburban home. “I heard about greenhouse farming on Facebook, and I thought of trying it out, since I was now jobless,” she says. For the past four years, Muziri has been growing…

Italy: fighting pepper plant diseases

On Friday 23rd November 2018, Dr Laura Minozzi from the Institute for the Sustainable Protection of plants – CNR and Cristian Carli (Agrion Foundation) illustrated new technologies for monitoring the peppers’ diseases and they also showed the results of the 2018 experimentation on the varietal comparison…

France: Cabinet delays raising food prices for farmers after protests

French farmers, who have always been a powerful factor in French politics, have long complained of being hit by a price war between retailers, which has benefited consumers…

Canadian report: Meat eaters will pay less, veggie lovers more

According to Canada’s Food Price Report , meat eating Canadians will benefit from dropping prices for animal protein in 2019, while the growing legion of meat-free eaters will pay more for their vegetables. Some 40 per cent of British Columbians aged 35 and under follow some variation of a meat-free diet, which is…

Slow start for Florida bell pepper season

Suppliers of bell peppers are reporting that it's been a slow start for the Florida bell pepper season. It's unclear what the reason for this is as the weather has been largely favorable in South Florida, the location of the current season. Additionally, there are reports of a lighter crop which has been…

China: Baby carrot market faces heavy competition

Baby carrots in China are growing in popularity yearly. It is not very common for Chinese people to eat raw vegetables, but they are getting more familiar with it. As Chun Wang from Directa Co.,Ltd. mentions: “China has raised the awareness of the benefits of consuming raw baby carrots, therefore the…

What are the biggest pitfalls on the Chinese import market?

It isn’t easy to export to another country. You have to keep in mind a lot of things, and the products often have to meet specific requirements. Besides, exporting to a country like China, language and culture can also be a barrier. FruitMax is a company that’s professionally involved in helping foreign…

US: Farm Bill Conference Committee delivers final bill

The 2018 Farm Bill Conference Committee has released a final bill for Congress to vote on. Agriculture Committee Chairmen Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., and Rep. K. Michael Conaway, R-Texas, and Ranking Members Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., and Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minn., released the text of the…

"In Mexico, you do business with persons, not with companies"

If the greenhouse horticulture is on the rise in a country, logistics freight forwarder Allport Netherlands usually immediately notices this in the number of requests and the…

European call for an increased use of geothermal energy

In an open letter, European geothermy organizations have called upon the EU to make more use of geothermal energy. The letter reads: "Geothermal energy is the energy stored in the form of heat below the surface of solid earth. The deeper one penetrates the interior of the Earth, the warmer it becomes. It is inexhaustible…

Biostimulants improve the nutritional value of iceberg lettuce

Studies carried out by Tradecorp in various Iceberg lettuce orchards in the region of Murcia confirm that the use of biostimulants and soil activators, such as Actyvium,…

Testing and developing the tomato flavour model

The flavour model of Wageningen University & Research is a reliable tool to determine flavour levels of new tomato varieties. Regularly testing the tomato flavour model The flavour model of Wageningen University & Research is a reliable tool to determine flavour levels of new tomato varieties. It facilitates B2B…

"We offer Australia’s growers something they haven’t been receiving from overseas suppliers"

"We don’t just sell seeds. We grow plants suited to Australia’s unique conditions then we follow up with comprehensive grower support." Speaking is Graham Brown , founder of Abundant Produce. The Australian company breeds varieties specifically for the Australian market and conditions. Over the coming…

'Efficient and modern water supply as the key to year-round tomato production'

In April 2017, Schenkeveld began constructing a new location: Schenkeveld Schiphol. Schenkeveld and their supplier Codema have been working closely together for decades. Codema has already created the water technology of new Schenkeveld construction projects twice, once in Den Hoorn and once in…

Floral holidays with edible roses

A luxury Christmas dinner with a floral touch or festive toasting on the new year with a colorful glass of champagne. Rose growers Rodewijk focus fully on the holidays with their edible roses 'Rosalicious'. Restaurants, bakeries and catering industry "The biggest difference is not in the cultivation, but in the sales", says…

British greengrocers: "Backlash against plastic has sparked trade boom"

UK greengrocers have claimed that a backlash against plastic has sparked a boom in their trade, as - mainly young - people flock through the doors to buy locally-sourced…

The dream of a perfect climate

What's better than a dream come true? And what if this dream were to help save the earth? More and more often we see, smell, feel and hear about the effects of climate change; and according to the experts we know that CO2 emissions must be drastically reduced to keep global warming below the crucial limit of two degrees…

"Mars and Mull share similar soil"

NASA’s InSight lander has been headline news in recent weeks, as it continues to send back clear images of the rocky and unforgiving surface of Mars. However, the previous exploration robot sent to roam the red planet, the Curiosity rover, has been beaming back invaluable data for years, giving…

Organic farming increases despite the greater effort required

"We have been growing organically since 2004 and back then we were a rarity in the area around Vittoria, in Sicily. We have been certified by the BioAgriCert already for a while and, despite being a small-medium company, we are able to defend our revenue". Thus says Salvatore Modica , whose homonymous…

Eric Wall Tomatoes

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"Number of recalls surprises me"

Salmonella, Listeria monocytogens, wrong labeling: the number of recalls in the past months is significantly higher than in other years. Michel Witmer, Groen Agro Control, already wondered about this in September: "How is it possible certain things still occur?" As product manager food he sees a lot, and now he has turned to…

How healthy are fresh fruits and vegetables actually?

That fruits and vegetables are healthy is a generally accepted fact. However, relatively little is known about the specific nutrients in fresh fruit and vegetables and their…

That is one hot girl... Woman wins Chinese chilli-eating contest

While last Sunday temperatures in Yichun city, Jiangxi province almost dropped to freezing point, locals and tourists took part in a chilli-eating contest. The participants have to devour as many of the fiery peppers as possible within a time limit. Courageous Yichun native Yi Huan took home a bar of gold and was crowned 'Chilli…

International interest for HortiContact Tour 2019

The preliminary registrations for the HortiContact Tour (19 and 20 February 2019) show that international growers around the world travel to the Netherlands to become acquainted with the latest developments in Dutch greenhouse horticulture. Over the past period, the organization received registrations of…

AVF advertises vertical farming in Asia

Horti China was the host to AVF's latest design thinking event in the search for a comprehensive roadmap for vertical farming. Prof. Jasper den Besten, Honorary Board Member, and Fulco Wijdooge, General Manager of Ridder Group in China talked about the science and scaling of vertical farming. The role of…

Canada: An update on aquaponic organic certification

Recently, the Standards Council of Canada published a new organic standard for aquaculture to help make organic seafood more widely recognizable. However, this label presents…

CAN (BC): "We have discovered the cannabis industry is not quite ready for outsourcing plant propagation"

AgraFlora Organics (formerly PUF Ventures), announces its joint venture company Propagation Services Canada is to focus on the cultivation of cannabis flowering plants and conduct propagation for its own internal needs. "and therefore will move to cultivate cannabis flowering plants due to the superior economics," said…

Funny vegs