Italy: Thirteen hectares of lettuce grown on a floating system

All types of lettuce are grown with the floating system on an area of 13 hectares. The whole system is automated to produce salad marketed under the brand name Ninfa. The location is Standiana, (Ravenna), near the large amusement park Mirabilandia, famous in Italy. "Here we also have fun with water - and…

Belgium: Full LED lighting in new 10 hectare tomato greenhouse

Signify announced its second horticulture project with tomato grower Luc Coghe to install full LED lighting in a newly built 10 hectare greenhouse in Roeselare, Belgium. Since 2014, Luc Coghe, owner of Tomco and his wife, Greet Biesbrouck, have increased yields and improved the quality and taste of high…

"It’s all about collecting data and using it properly"

In modern greenhouses automation is increasing. Growing and harvesting is largely registered via all sorts of systems or apps, which means that a lot of data is collected. As a grower or manager you have to think about the way how to store all this data. Dell EMC recently published a video in which they…

Spreading hydroponic farming technologies across India

On April 9th, Farms 2050 of Bangalore and AmHydro of Arcata, CA celebrated the grand opening of what is the largest commercial hydroponic farm in India to date. A rich agricultural heritage that has been challenged by a harsh climate, water scarcity and a rapidly growing population to feed has created an…

Germany: University of Giessen uses LED toplighting in research project

The University of Giessen, department of plant breeding, has brought BLV on board to equip its research greenhouse with an LED system. BLV supplies its new LED toplighting luminaires with specific spectra, matching the requirements of the research project. “At the University of Giessen, we are…

Qatar: Greenhouse fertigation workshop draws 20 agronomists and farm managers

Qatar Fertiliser Company (Qafco), Agrico and Yara International jointly conducted a ‘Greenhouse Fertigation' workshop for 20 experienced agronomists and farm managers from Qatar at the Hydroponic Trial and Demonstration Centre in Al Khor recently. The workshop was one of the initiatives undertaken in…

Greenhouse operations: Innovation discovery survey

The University of Arizona strives to promote innovative thinking and offers a startup innovations course. This course allows students to come up with their own products and learn how to develop the concept as if they were to create their start up business. Amanda Bogden, a Graduate Student at the…

“Late Easter, good weather make for lots of radishes on the market”

At the beginning of February, De Zeeuw, a radish farm in ’s-Gravenzande, the Netherlands, sent out an appeal on Twitter. They needed someone to come and help mechanically harvest their radishes. The vacancy has since been filled, but not without some difficulty. Just in time for the annual peak period.…

NG: "Deliver farm fresh produce to retail and display them properly"

"The Nigerian market became used to fresh foods on the table. Whether they are peppers, tomatoes or cucumbers, they want it fresh." Speaking is Tayo Ilori, managing director of Latc Agro LTD, in an interview with Wandie Kazeem of Wandieville Media. Properly display In a two-part interview he explains how…

Russia: Greenhouse starts experimenting with aubergines

After a five year break the greenhouse Teplichniy in Vladimir has started growing aubergines and bell peppers again. For the time being, it is more of an experiment and the plants only occupy a couple of rows in the greenhouses. The first crops have been purchased within several minutes, not even having…

Greenhouse operations: Innovation discovery survey

The University of Arizona strives to promote innovative thinking and offers a startup innovations course. This course allows students to come up with their own products and learn how to develop the concept as if they were to create their start up business. Amanda Bogden, a Graduate Student at the…

Spreading hydroponic farming technologies across India

On April 9th, Farms 2050 of Bangalore and AmHydro of Arcata, CA celebrated the grand opening of what is the largest commercial hydroponic farm in India to date. A rich agricultural heritage that has been challenged by a harsh climate, water scarcity and a rapidly growing population to feed has created an…

AU: Farmers call for urgent water security to protect next year's summer vegetable season

Eastern Victorian farmers are calling for urgent water security, to protect them in the upcoming season. Food and Fibre Gippsland board member, and Chief Executive of Bulmer Farms in Lindenow, Andrew Bulmer says the region's water supply, the Mitchell River, is heritage listed, and does not contain a dam…

Primocane fruiting raspberries: Growth cycle and management

Primocanes? Floricanes? Are you confused by the raspberry growth cycle and how to prune? Raspberry plants have a complex growth cycle and can be managed in different ways depending on the grower's goals. This new video released by TunnelBerries explains all this and how to manage primocane-fruiting…

"We contribute to high-quality cultivation and marketing"

In 1908, the hydropower of the Alz, which springs from the Chiemsee, was the primary reason for choosing the location of the energy dependent calcium carbide and calcium cyanamide plant in Trostberg (Bavaria). "This year we are celebrating our 111th anniversary," says Uwe Timm, Marketing Manager of…

LRC to develop new plant lighting education program

Research from the Illumination for Plant Health (IPH) Alliance at the Lighting Research Center (LRC) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has shown that “Precision Light Dosing” can be used to combat the many pests and pathogens that reduce crop yields, and to increase plant health. At the same time, due…

Germany: University of Giessen uses LED toplighting in research project

The University of Giessen, department of plant breeding, has brought BLV on board to equip its research greenhouse with an LED system. BLV supplies its new LED toplighting luminaires with specific spectra, matching the requirements of the research project. “At the University of Giessen, we are…

Luna system surpasses one billion square feet of greenhouse imaging and analysis

iUNU, a computer vision SaaS-based company that launched Luna, the artificial intelligence platform for the greenhouse industry, announces the milestone of the Luna knowledge base surpassing one billion square feet of imaging. iUNU predicts that as it continues to cover more greenhouse square footage,…

Fresh produce no longer on sale at FICO

Although spring is in full swing, there is very little fresh produce at FICO Eataly World, the large food park in Bologna inaugurated a year and a half ago. While the FICO acronym stands for Fabbrica italiana contadina (Italian farming factory), visitors can find processed products at most. Inside Fico…

Lulu launching ‘Festival of Premium Qatari Vegetables’

Under the patronage of the Qatari Ministry of Municipality and Environment, a festival of local vegetables under title ‘The Festival of Premium Qatari Vegetables and Qatar Farms’ opened at Lulu Hypermarkets. The inaugural ceremony held at Lulu Hypermarket, Al Gharafa, was attended by Sheikh Dr Faleh bin…

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory announces exclusive license with plant breeding start-up Inari

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) announced an exclusive licensing agreement with partner Inari, a company that is advancing plant breeding by tapping nature's genetic…

NG: "Deliver farm fresh produce to retail and display them properly"

"The Nigerian market became used to fresh foods on the table. Whether they are peppers, tomatoes or cucumbers, they want it fresh." Speaking is Tayo Ilori, managing director of Latc Agro LTD, in an interview with Wandie Kazeem of Wandieville Media. Properly display In a two-part interview he explains how…

Malaysia: Paraplegic farmer realizes his dream of an aquaponic farm

In December 2015, a car accident left Dr Billy Tang, an agriculturist and private researcher, with traumatic spinal cord injury. A determined person, he aspired to return to his area of expertise – urban farming. Last July, Tang, 53, of Kota Damansara, discovered a new purpose in life when he and four…

Italy: Thirteen hectares of lettuce grown on a floating system

All types of lettuce are grown with the floating system on an area of 13 hectares. The whole system is automated to produce salad marketed under the brand name Ninfa. The location is Standiana, (Ravenna), near the large amusement park Mirabilandia, famous in Italy. "Here we also have fun with water - and…

"It’s all about collecting data and using it properly"

In modern greenhouses automation is increasing. Growing and harvesting is largely registered via all sorts of systems or apps, which means that a lot of data is collected. As a grower or manager you have to think about the way how to store all this data. Dell EMC recently published a video in which they…

“Late Easter, good weather make for lots of radishes on the market”

At the beginning of February, De Zeeuw, a radish farm in ’s-Gravenzande, the Netherlands, sent out an appeal on Twitter. They needed someone to come and help mechanically harvest their radishes. The vacancy has since been filled, but not without some difficulty. Just in time for the annual peak period.…

Belgium: Full LED lighting in new 10 hectare tomato greenhouse

Signify announced its second horticulture project with tomato grower Luc Coghe to install full LED lighting in a newly built 10 hectare greenhouse in Roeselare, Belgium. Since 2014, Luc Coghe, owner of Tomco and his wife, Greet Biesbrouck, have increased yields and improved the quality and taste of high…

Tomato leaf mold in hoophouse tomatoes

Hoophouse tomatoes are one of the biggest moneymakers on small farms. While the hoophouse provides relief from many tomato diseases, some plant diseases are favored by the high relative humidity that can occur in hoophouses and greenhouses. Tomato leaf mold ( Passalora fulva ) is one of these diseases,…

All underwater fiber optic cables, providing Internet throughout the world

Underwater fiber optic cables galore.

"AGRI MEPs renew their commitment to fostering a competitive and resilient European fruit and vegetable sector"

On the 1st and 2nd of April, the Members of the European Parliament’s Agriculture and Rural Development Committee proceeded to vote on the CAP reform-related reports on…

The Netherlands and Spain see tomato sales fall as Morocco grows

The Netherlands and Spain have reduced their tomato sales over the last ten years (2009-2018), both in the European Union (EU) and other countries, while those from Morocco…

"The UK is never the first to switch to Dutch greenhouses vegetables"

"People in the UK make decisions quickly but when it comes to prices, they do not make a move quickly. Winter contracts are often fixed up to week 17. This includes Easter," says Johan Vrijland of the Dutch company, JNV Produce. This marketing company focuses solely on exports to the United Kingdom. "The…

Armenia to set up agricultural exchange

Armenia’s government has initiated the process of creating an agricultural exchange, Agriculture Minister Gegham Gevorgyan, has stated. ‘Imagine a large facility with refrigerators, scales and other infrastructures that will help establish a connection between sellers and buyers," he said. According to…

White Book for tomato sector in France

The tomato sector in France, grouped in the Association of Producer Organizations called "Tomatoes and cucumbers of France", has prepared a White Book that defines three lines…

Vietnam and the Netherlands committed to bring Vietnamese horticulture to a higher level

On Wednesday 10 April during the trade mission led by Prime Minister Rutte, Minister van Nieuwenhuizen and Vice-Minister Sonnema to Vietnam, Mr. Nguyen Nhu Cuong – Acting General Director of Crop Production Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Mr. Henk van Eijk - Chairman…

Inspiring consumers with a choice of new colours

New colour combinations in fresh produce displays can entice shoppers to choose the healthy option even more frequently. Vegetable breeding company Rijk Zwaan is therefore launching a number of colourful innovations: under the Sweet Palermo brand as well as in snack tomatoes and kohlrabi. Colour is an…

International effort launched to determine best CO2 capture & utilisation technologies

€1.3 million has been secured to develop a tool for identifying the most promising carbon dioxide capture and utilisation technologies. The significant financial support, announced at a launch event on 11 April, comes from the Global CO2 Initiative at the University of Michigan and EIT Climate-KIC,…

Qatar: Greenhouse fertigation workshop draws 20 agronomists and farm managers

Qatar Fertiliser Company (Qafco), Agrico and Yara International jointly conducted a ‘Greenhouse Fertigation' workshop for 20 experienced agronomists and farm managers from Qatar at the Hydroponic Trial and Demonstration Centre in Al Khor recently. The workshop was one of the initiatives undertaken in…

Line × tester analysis for eggplant traits using wild relatives as testers

Wild relatives of eggplant are commonly exploited for eggplant improvement, but the genetic improvement relies on the information of the genetic basis of inheritance of traits. In a new study, two eggplant lines, one with oriental and another with occidental cytoplasm, were crossed with four testers…

Scientists crack the code to regenerate plant tissues

A group of scientists from Tokyo University of Science have discovered a new way to regenerate flowering plant tissues, opening possibilities of mitigating the global food…

The age of robot farmers

It was a hot February morning at Wish Farms, a large strawberry-growing operation outside Plant City, Florida. Gary Wishnatzki, the proprietor, met me at one of the farm offices. In the high season, Wish Farms picks, chills, and ships some twenty million berries—all handpicked by a seasonal workforce of six hundred and fifty…

Two-thirds of US agricultural imports from Mexico consisted of vegetables, fruit or beer

2018 US agricultural imports from Mexico

Move from cups and shakers to small bags for snack mini tomatoes

You get tomatoes in all shapes and sizes. From cherry tomatoes and snack tomatoes to TOV and loose tomatoes. For every tomato, a suitable packaging solution has been found. These are needed to bring this product, undamaged, to the consumer. There is also a growing trend toward smaller, snack-sized…

Seven herbs for green sauce - now with German herbs

Parsley, chives, chervil, sorrel, pimpinelle, borage and watercress: "Every connoisseur knows that these are the necessary ingredients for the green sauce." The well-tried specialty is a seasonal highlight, especially in Southwest Germany, and especially at Easter," says Hendzel, responsible for…

Canada: Government awards $1.9M in financial assistance to Lambert Peat Moss

Lambert Peat Moss is one of the key players in the peat moss industry in Quebec. To ensure its growth, the company is receiving a repayable contribution of $1.9 million from Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions. With this financial assistance, the SME will be able to improve its productivity…

U.S. growers are harvesting an increasing amount of organic tomatoes

Fresh tomatoes have remained a staple in American kitchens even as consumer tastes and preferences evolve. For example, producers have responded to consumer demand for more organic produce by cultivating more organic tomatoes. From 2008 to 2011, consumer price sensitivity coupled with the higher price of…

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…

Mikael Carval

Uganda bans chilli exports to European Union

The European Union has welcomed the Ugandan government's self-imposed ban on the export of chillies and substandard vegetables to Europe, saying it was beginning to spoil the…

The benefits of eating tomatoes every day

The tomato is one of the most versatile fruits, widely consumed all around the world. Some people prefer it raw, many like to cook it with vegetables and spices. You can…

Texas A&M University scholarship students to attend Viva Fresh Expo

For the fifth year, DMA Solutions will send top performing students from Texas A&M University to the Viva Fresh Produce Expo in San Antonio, Texas as a part of the Aggies…

How retailers quadruple the price of imperfect produce

In a recent Dutch tv-episode attention was paid to imperfect produce, the deformed vegetables and fruit that lie on the fresh produce shelves of retailer Albert Heijn. According to the show producers, the text on the packaging ‘throwing away is a pity’, which is put on 'ugly produce' suggests that the…

Will the urban agricultural revolution be vertical and soilless?

Controlled environment agriculture (CEA) is an emerging form of farming increasingly found in cities worldwide. Advocates promote CEA as the future of food production, arguing for its potential to address challenges ranging from climate change to food insecurity. Detractors state that CEA’s narrow focus…

HortiDaily starts MMJDaily.com

Normally we’re happy to publish all the news from the horticultural industry. Today we’ve got news for you. Our newest publication MMJDaily.com will be launched today! This publication is all about…

Respect the adults, son