"Late stage talks to buy Sundrop Farms"

Is there another major investment fund gaining ground in horticulture? According to Australian publications, the investment firm Morrison & Co is in late stage talks to buy Sundrop Farms.  It's one of the most remarkable greenhouse projects of the last years: Sundrop Farms. The Australian farm uses a desalination plant and a solar…

"Data driven decision making in the greenhouse becomes reality"

Today Grodan, part of the Rockwool Group, launches the open software platform e-Gro. This digital innovation gives greenhouse growers smarter insights into the greenhouse, allowing an even more efficient cultivation. E-Gro is officially launched during the HortiContact 2019 trade show. Better overview, better decisions…

Summer screen for lighted tomato cultivation

At the HortiContact in Gorinchem, Svensson is introducing its latest climate screen, the Harmony 1315 O FR. It has specially been developed for lighted tomato cultivation, but is also suitable for other fruit vegetable crops. The screen not only offers advantages for the plants, but also for the working…

Bioline Iberia established in Almeria

Bioline Agrosciences and the company Biocolor (Spain) announce the creation of a new company, based in Almeria (ES), called Bioline Iberia. Thanks to this union Bioline Iberia will be a major player in Biocontrol in Spain. "Our partner Biocolor brings a well established brand in the cooperative segment and who…

Behold! The pepper packing robot

The use of robots is surely one of the main trends that the horticultural sector is experiencing. The dream of automation has always pushed innovation within industries, as it allows not only a better management of the workforce but also a better quality assurance. This is what the pepper packing robot was made for. This video…

Insect netting discussed on first edition of Plant2019

Today in Valencia it's all about Plant, Cellular and Molecular biology. The first edition of the Plant2019 kicked off this morning. The conference wants to offer an international platform for botanists, academic scientists, young inspired researchers and research scholars to share their experiences and…

Hybrid training center by Sunfarming

The Sunfarming's Hybrid Training Center located in the Bahamas serves multiple purposes and is a response to issues that affect the area, according to the company.  "The Caribbean region is highly dependent on imported fossil fuels to generate energy, resulting in higher CO2 emissions and electricity prices of up to…

Spain: New lettuces to bring more flavour, easier harvesting

At the BASF experimental station in the Murcian town of La Palma, Nunhems, BASF's horticultural seed brand, is presenting new lettuce varieties during the field demonstration days. As a novelty for growing table, Magistral is presented for harvesting from the end of February to the beginning of April. Magistral is a compact and…

Netherlands: Water quality award for tomato grower

In horticulture, water is of the utmost importance, and they know this at Roam Technology, producer and supplier of Huwa-San products. The water systems are cleaned thoroughly with stabilized hydrogen peroxide. To emphasize the importance of clean water, two customers with the cleanest water are…

"Root Barrier reduces plant root sticking to the tray"

Modiform introduces an innovative protection for plant roots. By applying a protective layer to the tray, root sticking is reduced. As a result, automated transplanting of…

Qatar: A sneak peek into Agrico's fully organic hydroponic farm

The demand of fresh produce has been rapidly growing in Qatar over the last years. As a response, Agrico built a 120,000 sqm organic farm in Al Khor, the first production of which was in May 2012. However, the company had to face a widespread lack of knowledge in terms of systems that would be suitable…

Nigeria: Taraban greenhouses anticipate boom in activities

The gigantic Greenhouse situated at the premises of Taraba state University Jalingo, was established by the Darius Ishaku government in 2017 at the cost of over N2 billion through a Zenith Bank loan. It is reputed to be first of its kind in the North-East and sits on a large expanse of land. According to the General…

US (VA): Greenhouses foster fresh herbs comeback

Greenhouse herb operations are popular in Virginia, and there seems to be a resurgence in the popularity of locally grown herbs. Greenhouses are located on 51 Virginia herb farms, which produced 29 acres of fresh-cut herbs in 2012. That was down from the previous decade, when there were 73 herb…

Summer screen for lighted tomato cultivation

At the HortiContact in Gorinchem, Svensson is introducing its latest climate screen, the Harmony 1315 O FR. It has specially been developed for lighted tomato cultivation, but is also suitable for other fruit vegetable crops. The screen not only offers advantages for the plants, but also for the working…

"Late stage talks to buy Sundrop Farms"

Is there another major investment fund gaining ground in horticulture? According to Australian publications, the investment firm Morrison & Co is in late stage talks to buy Sundrop Farms.  It's one of the most remarkable greenhouse projects of the last years: Sundrop Farms. The Australian farm uses a desalination plant and a solar…

A short guide to indoor setups

Growing indoors can be a fulfilling endeavor that utilizes an existing building or room. Many non-greenhouse structures are insulated, offer protection from the outdoor environment, and can be modified to suit many crops. Growing indoors and growing in a greenhouse share many aspects, however indoor operations present unique…

US (NV): Tomatoes and fishes part of the same 'circle-of-life'

In a sprawling greenhouse in the northern Nevada desert, tilapia and tomatoes are being farmed in a circle-of-life partnership. The Dayton Valley Aquaponics uses a supermarket-sized building on land where cattle used to graze to grow tomatoes using fish waste nutrients while leaving cleansed water to…

Italians focus on rise of aquaculture and hydroponic systems

The Novel Farm event held in Pordenone on 13th-14th February 2019 focused on hydroponic crops, aquaculture and evolved aquaculture. It was the first edition of a small exhibition part of the Aquafarm fair. Click here for the photo gallery! It showcased lighting technologies, hydroponic components and aquaculture systems. "Hydroponic cultivation is already rather…

"Data driven decision making in the greenhouse becomes reality"

Today Grodan, part of the Rockwool Group, launches the open software platform e-Gro. This digital innovation gives greenhouse growers smarter insights into the greenhouse, allowing an even more efficient cultivation. E-Gro is officially launched during the HortiContact 2019 trade show. Better overview, better decisions…

Gut bacteria adapting to New Zealanders' love of fruit and veg

New Zealand have discovered a gut bacterium that specialises in breaking down a hard-to-digest substance found in plants. This suggests that the human gut microbiome is evolving to accommodate our increased consumption of fibre-rich foods. Plant & Food Research scientists discovered a new human gut bacterium: Monoglobus…

US (MT): Local fresh produce available all year round thanks to aquaponics

Stephon Smith believes that local produce should be available all year round, and is on track to do just that by providing Missoula with its first urban aquaponics farm. Locavore Produce uses aquaponics, a type of farming that uses fish and a Chinese-style greenhouse to produce plants. It grows plants more densely and…

How Lidl adapted to the UK

Lidl, along with its fellow German discounter Aldi, might be growing strongly in the UK right now. However, it wasn't always that way. In the early years, the discounters were really small players. Former UK boss, Ronny Gottschlich: “If anything, it was considered to be a poor man's shop. The German discount model would sit in the corner…

Greek sisters operate organic herb company

Two sisters from Thessaloniki took a risk during the height of the Greek crisis, launching an organic herb company. A few years down the road, they are selling their products all around Greece and internationally. Renela and Alexia Giannakopoulou collect the plants by hand and transfer them directly to specially modified…

Bioline Iberia established in Almeria

Bioline Agrosciences and the company Biocolor (Spain) announce the creation of a new company, based in Almeria (ES), called Bioline Iberia. Thanks to this union Bioline Iberia will be a major player in Biocontrol in Spain. "Our partner Biocolor brings a well established brand in the cooperative segment and who…

EFSA to share data on open-access platform

In a report published today, European Food Safety Association (EFSA) lays out how it intends to share data collected in areas such as: food consumption habits; pesticide…

Hybrid training center by Sunfarming

The Sunfarming's Hybrid Training Center located in the Bahamas serves multiple purposes and is a response to issues that affect the area, according to the company.  "The Caribbean region is highly dependent on imported fossil fuels to generate energy, resulting in higher CO2 emissions and electricity prices of up to…

Turkish women have made vegetable-based paints

In Turkey, a group of women volunteers has been producing and distributing chemical-free paints made from fruits and vegetables to vulnerable children. The women set up a project called "Natural Paint Workshop" to protect children from the harms of paints containing chemical products. Group co-founder Binnur Temel said…

AU: Council approves Nectar Farms planning permit

On 18th February 2019, the Northern Grampians Shire Council held a special meeting to consider the Nectar Farms' construction project of a glasshouse. Six councillors out of seven voted in favour of the application. Eventually, the permit was approved for a hydroponic glasshouse vegetable farm with s 5/6…

Netherlands: Water quality award for tomato grower

In horticulture, water is of the utmost importance, and they know this at Roam Technology, producer and supplier of Huwa-San products. The water systems are cleaned thoroughly with stabilized hydrogen peroxide. To emphasize the importance of clean water, two customers with the cleanest water are…

On pest prevention in controlled environments

There are benefits and drawbacks to growing indoors. When it comes to pests, the upside is that indoor grow spaces can be sealed off relatively effectively from the outside world. Pest infestations are a grower’s worst nightmare thanks to the stunted growth and crop damage that they bring. But by…

Report on satellite crop monitoring in northern Iran

The Iranian Space Agency (ISA) has released a report on satellite crop monitoring of the subtropical area in its Northern provinces of Gilan and Mazandaran. The monitoring is based on the imagery received from remote sensing satellites. The detailed report is provided for provincial managers in order to…

Netherlands: Container growth pushes throughput at port of Rotterdam to new highs

At 469.0 million tonnes, the port of Rotterdam’s total throughput volume ended up slightly higher in 2018 than in 2017, which was itself a record year (467.4 million tonnes). Container transhipment was the engine of growth again, with a 4.5% increase in tonnage. Measured in TEUs, the increase was 5.7% and the annual…

No-Deal Brexit could cost grocery sector billions

According to an analysis by operational improvement specialist Newton, the UK grocery industry could lose up to £4.5 billion of revenue in the three months after Brexit if retailers and manufacturers are not prepared by 29 March. The figure is based on an estimated 20% additional gaps on supermarket shelves due to…

Germany remains a very price-sensitive market

Germany is one of the largest markets for fruit in Europe. The relative affluence of its population of 83 million people makes it an attractive outlet for exporters from many countries. This product brief highlights certain aspects of the German fruit market and provides marketing, trade, and regulatory…

Morocco & Spain to build railway line

Morocco and Spain are studying the possibility of a connection between the two countries through a continental railway line. In an interview with Anadolu Agency, Morocco’s Secretary of State for Transport Najib Boulif said that both countries have been working on the continental railway: “We are now in…

Outlook for US fresh retail sector looks bright

John Toaspern, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at Potatoes USA assumed the new position of Chief Marketing Officer at the National Potato Promotion Board in July, 2014. As the Chief Marketing Officer John oversees both the international and domestic marketing programs at Potatoes USA as well as the…

Iran: Exports to Russia up 36 percent in 2018

As reported by Eghtesadonline this Sunday, Iran exported US$533 million worth of commodities to Russia in 2018. This is a growth of 36 percent in Iran's exports to the northern neighbour, compared to the year before. Iran's exports mainly included pistachio, raisins, dates, apples, cucumbers, tomatoes, fish, shrimp,…

Spain: New lettuces to bring more flavour, easier harvesting

At the BASF experimental station in the Murcian town of La Palma, Nunhems, BASF's horticultural seed brand, is presenting new lettuce varieties during the field demonstration days. As a novelty for growing table, Magistral is presented for harvesting from the end of February to the beginning of April. Magistral is a compact and…

CAN (ON): Taking standardization of greenhouse cogeneration to the next level

When in 2013 Gruppo AB, together with a few former Jenbacher employees, created AB Greenhouse Power Netherlands (ABGPN), it was with a vision of taking cogeneration in the greenhouse sector to a whole new level. Over a period of more than 2 decades, Jenbacher in the Netherlands had continually updated and optimized their…

Vegetal-derived biostimulant enhances adventitious rooting in cuttings

Plant-derived protein biostimulants exhibit hormone-like activities promoting plant growth and yield, yet detailed investigations on hormonal function have remained limited. A…

Spain's most powerful R&D sector threatened by seed piracy

The pirates we are talking about don't wear hooks or eye patches, but they plunder about one hundred million Euro per year from the Spanish agricultural sector. In the short…

Behold! The pepper packing robot

The use of robots is surely one of the main trends that the horticultural sector is experiencing. The dream of automation has always pushed innovation within industries, as it allows not only a better management of the workforce but also a better quality assurance. This is what the pepper packing robot was made for. This video…

Doctors recommend cucumber consumption

People who pay attention to their health are familiar with this product found in salads and sushis as well as in cosmetic preparations. Cucumbers have a pleasant taste and…

"Root Barrier reduces plant root sticking to the tray"

Modiform introduces an innovative protection for plant roots. By applying a protective layer to the tray, root sticking is reduced. As a result, automated transplanting of…

"The material for our products undergoes an upcycling process"

Gamma-Wopla was represented for the first time at Fruit Logistica this year. They had the latest collection of their folding and stacking boxes for the fruit and vegetable sector. For Mikaël Vandewiele, Plant Manager of Gamma-Wopla, sustainability is the top priority for his company and its products. Mikaël Vandewiele (r.)…

Michael DeGiglio rates cannabis vs. tomatoes as cash crops

Michael DeGiglio is the CEO of Village Farms International a company transitioning from produce to cannabis in Canada as well as possibly industrial hemp/CBD (cannabidiol) in the United States. While a shift to cannabis may seem like a money grab to some, and honestly money grabs aren't always a…

"Sustainable medium to grow microgreens with"

Hort Americas and VegBed have announced a new partnership to offer microgreen farms a sustainable medium to grow with. The agreement complements the current growing media product lineup at Hort Americas and strengthens the distribution reach of VegBed’s sustainable microgreen mats. It will give farmers a new…

Facts and figures about organic development

In the past year, the share of domestic eco-land increased by 109,863 hectares (plus 8 percent) to around 1.5 million hectares. The Federation of Organic Food and Beverage…

New cold store and cooking facility for Swedish vegetables

The new branch of cooperation Sydgrönt in an old Findus factory in Bjuv, Sweden, will enable growers to sell more vegetables. The factory has a surface area of 3,200 m2 and…

Strawberries washed up on Ventura beaches

why write poetry when there are pics of strawberries washed up on ventura beaches bc of heavy rainfall circulating fb pic.twitter.com/FdeHt9HYyZ — valley girl solanas (@audreywollen) February 8, 2019

"Hydrogen peroxide sanitizers improve shelf life of produce"

Canadian water treatment company SanEcoTec recently received a Letter of No Objection from Health Canada for the use of its Clean5, Clean25 and Clean50 sanitizers in process water on fresh and minimally processed fruits and vegetables. In process water, the Clean line of products provides a sanitizing wash and efficacy…

Canada: Western Health initiative to foster fresh produce consumption

Some people in western Newfoundland are enjoying fresh, local vegetables in the dead of winter, thanks to a Western Health initiative to introduce hydroponics kits to community groups. "We know that vegetable and fruit consumption is really low in Newfoundland in general, and western Newfoundland particularly, so we're…

Netherlands: Summer School Green Genetics

Are you a student? Is the plant breeding world your field of interest? Do terms like green genetics, horticulture & plant breeding sound familiar? Then you're invited to participate in the Summer School Green Genetics at Wageningen University & Research. Why is there a Summer School Green Genetics? The sector…

Insect netting discussed on first edition of Plant2019

Today in Valencia it's all about Plant, Cellular and Molecular biology. The first edition of the Plant2019 kicked off this morning. The conference wants to offer an international platform for botanists, academic scientists, young inspired researchers and research scholars to share their experiences and…

NL: 'Towards an Africa Europe partnership' meet-up

AgriProFocus and foodFIRST organize a meet-up with Kees Blokland who is member of the EU Task Force Rural Africa, about the report “Towards an Africa Europe Partnership for…

Greensys 2019 to be held in Angers, France

The GreenSys 2019 International Symposium on Advanced Technologies and Management for Innovative Greenhouses will be held in Angers, France, from June 16th to 20th 2019. "This event is an opportunity to…

'Low demand for Turkish peppers after Christmas'

The situation on the German wholesale markets is very subdued, so shortly after the turn of the year. In Nuremberg the market has stabilized as well, after the increased sales during the Christmas season. January is also a quiet month for Turkish retailers, confirms Ali Macara of Ikram Gbr/Macara Fruits,…

How to choose fluorescent grow lights for your farm

Fluorescent grow lights can be an inexpensive lighting option for a small farm operation, but not every fluorescent light is the same. If you’re not using the right kind, you won’t have enough light to grow. Most large-scale and commercial operations use LED lights because they last longer and emit more light. Fluorescent…

Sustainability and the cultivation of quality cannabis

Tantalus Labs grows at SunLab, one of the first commercial-scale cannabis greenhouses in North America. Since their inception in 2012, they’ve shared detailed information about their methodologies, unique growing processes and the resulting reduced environmental impact. "This commitment to transparency…

New coin developed for the UK