HortiDaily Holiday!

As our long-time readers know, this time of the year means it's time for our summer holiday. For the next two weeks we will not publish any news and will not send out any newsletters. In the next two…

Photo report: Cultivate 2019

Although some exhibitors had the feeling the 2019 Cultivate show was slightly slower than it was last year, the event remains one of the best to meet up with suppliers active in the North American market. Celebrating its 90th edition this year, the show attracted more than 650 exhibitors and thousands of guests. Click here for…

"After two years of testing without problems, this year for the first time the entire greenhouse is full with it"

When Dirk Houweling set up a greenhouse horticulture company in 1988 on an unused airfield in Tangmere, Southern England, Gerard Vonk was already present. Tangmere Nurseries started with three hectares, but now, more than thirty years later, it has become thirty. As a manager, Gerard is busy with it…

ToBRFV confirmed in UK greenhouse

Symptoms of the Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus (ToBRFV) have been reported for the first time in a UK tomato crop. Confirmed by laboratory testing, the outbreak has been reported to the Plant Health and Seeds Inspectorate (PHSI). The affected glasshouse has taken the necessary steps to eradicate the…

"Virus problems require even better scouting and communication"

Hygiene measures in greenhouse horticulture are increasingly being enforced nowadays. That makes sense, but it makes it more difficult to assess the disease and infestation level, according to Arno Moerman, Vegetable Growing Consultant at Koppert Biological Systems. "After all, consultants can no longer…

“A new step has been taken with an aeration system for better water quality”

A troublesome pepper gutter that makes it impossible to drain from the side, cannot be replaced just like that. In order to still take steps with the oxygen content in the slab and thus prevent root problems during the course of the cultivation, Personal Vision chose to work with an aeration system. "An…

Royal Brinkman exclusive partner of Riococo in Mexico

Royal Brinkman and Ceyhinz Link join forces to provide growers in Mexico with Riococo coconut substrate mats. "Our specialists in Mexico advise growers on their crop strategy. Substrate is an essential part of this. We already have rock wool blocks and germ plugs in our assortment and now with the…

"We were never afraid to take risks"

Innovating is beautiful, but it does not always happen because often there is no real necessity. That necessity was there for the American grower Casey Houweling, as he told during the innovation seminar by Royal Brinkman. Over the years, each time a more southern-situated company was added to Houweling,…

"I did not expect soil monitoring to provide so many new insights"

Opening and closing the window automatically: it has been done for years by growers who use sensors to monitor and control their greenhouse climate. It is part of the wish to be able to grow ever better and more efficiently. Remarkably enough, irrigation in the greenhouse is often still determined by…

Letter of intent signed for construction Chinese Horti Center

On the 18th of July 2019, an agreement was signed between a Chinese company and several Dutch horticultural suppliers for the construction of the Dezhou Horti Center in China. Several governmental officials, as well as the board of HortiTech were present during the signing ceremony. HortiTech is the…

CAN (SK): Estevan officials return from marketing opportunity in the Netherlands

With the economy in Canada having as tough a time as it has been in recent years, diversifying what we do to add more revenue streams can be an important way to help boost it back up again. Our Economic Development Coordinator Dwight 'Fitz' Bramble, along with Mayor Roy Ludwig, a local business…

US (NY): 40 Acre greenhouse project takes another step

Point Positive Inc., the investing and mentoring group of business leaders in the Greater Adirondacks, has made an early-stage investment in Confluent Energies Inc. The controlled-environment agriculture operation seeks to establish its first greenhouse facility in St. Lawrence County to build economic…

Russia: TV program reports on how to recognize a good tomato

The Sreda Obitaniya program on the OTR channel (Public Television of Russia) did a piece on how to select tasty and healthy tomatoes in a store or in a market and examined the Russian tomato segment. A few employees of Eco-Culture holding participated in the story as the invited experts The reporters…

"Planning to extend the season so that we can still harvest by the end of November."

The domestic season for fruit vegetables is currently in full swing. In all major growing areas in Germany tons of cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers are harvested. This goes for Emsland Gemüse as well. Since its founding, the farm has been entirely dedicated to the production of tomatoes in three…

The benefits of greenhouse roll-up sides

Plant care is a constant cycle of monitoring and reacting. Overly dry soil? Adjust watering levels. Signs of scorching? Reduce the amount of direct sunlight. Excessive heat and humidity? Find a way to ventilate the greenhouse. For many growers and garden centers, accomplishing the latter is a process…

"Cooperatives have more innovative power"

Regional goods are booming in the German retail sector and so the big chains are trying to secure their share of the cake by contracting and gaining foreign investors through major projects. Florian Wolz, Managing Director of Franken-Gemüse Knoblauchsland eG advocates the preservation of structures:…

Are city farms a model for the future?

Like abandoned marquees, the three greenhouses marked "City Farm" stand among the trees. Through the dusty windows of the aging facades you can not see that here, in the middle of Berlin's Lichtenberg district, a new kind of model for agriculture is being tested on 3,000 square meters. The principle is…

Why growers measure oxygen in the root zone

In addition to regular climate data from wireless sensors and climate computers, growers can now also see the oxygen level, pH value and temperature of the root environment in Zensie. Recently, 30MHz partnered with Sendot Research whose sensors can be connected to the data platform. In addition to oxygen…

Grimmway Farms expands Southeast operations

Grimmway Farms has announced that it has acquired the southern Georgia and north Florida processing facilities and assets of Lake Park, Georgia-based Generation Farms. The acquisition marks the expansion of the company’s farming and processing operations in the Southeast for the second year in a row.…

No such thing as male and female bell peppers

Although the myth that bell peppers are either male or female continues to spread, bell peppers do not have genders. According to the myth, “male” bell peppers have three lobes and are more bitter, while “female” bell peppers have four or more lobes, have more seeds, and are sweeter to eat. However, bell…

Modelling crop transpiration in greenhouses: different models for different applications

Models for the evapotranspiration of greenhouse crops are needed both for accurate irrigation and for the simulation or management of the greenhouse climate. For this purpose, several evapotranspiration models have been developed and presented in an article by researchers from the Department of…

Kenya: Horticulture students establish greenhouse vegetable seedlings farm

JKUAT students from the Horticulture Students Association (HOSA) have set up a greenhouse farm for vegetable seedlings in order to enhance their capacity in farming practices aimed at addressing the demand for quality seedling material in the region. Speaking during an interview, HOSA Patron, who is also…

"Growing with a higher sodium content possible without damage"

In the hot summer of 2018, tomato grower Cock van Schie was forced to gain experience with a considerably increased sodium content. Fortunately, as a member of the guidance committee for sodium research in Bleiswijk, he was already used to such values. The crop did not suffer. "I don't get panicky that…

"We were never afraid to take risks"

Innovating is beautiful, but it does not always happen because often there is no real necessity. That necessity was there for the American grower Casey Houweling, as he told during the innovation seminar by Royal Brinkman. Over the years, each time a more southern-situated company was added to Houweling,…

"Despite countermeasures against tipburn, the strawberry problem is still not solved"

In the fossil fuel free and sustainable demo greenhouses at Wageningen University & Research in the Dutch town of Bleiswijk, four different crops are cultivated, among which the strawberry. The strawberries of the everbearer Favori were planted on the 28th of March. Unfortunately, the planting…

"After two years of testing without problems, this year for the first time the entire greenhouse is full with it"

When Dirk Houweling set up a greenhouse horticulture company in 1988 on an unused airfield in Tangmere, Southern England, Gerard Vonk was already present. Tangmere Nurseries started with three hectares, but now, more than thirty years later, it has become thirty. As a manager, Gerard is busy with it…

“A new step has been taken with an aeration system for better water quality”

A troublesome pepper gutter that makes it impossible to drain from the side, cannot be replaced just like that. In order to still take steps with the oxygen content in the slab and thus prevent root problems during the course of the cultivation, Personal Vision chose to work with an aeration system. "An…

Canada, Prince Edward Island: Transforming sea lettuce into plant food

An entrepreneur from Prince Edward Island is working on a project that he hopes will get rid of a perennial Island problem while helping to grow interest in the haskap berry…

"I did not expect soil monitoring to provide so many new insights"

Opening and closing the window automatically: it has been done for years by growers who use sensors to monitor and control their greenhouse climate. It is part of the wish to be able to grow ever better and more efficiently. Remarkably enough, irrigation in the greenhouse is often still determined by…

Letter of intent signed for construction Chinese Horti Center

On the 18th of July 2019, an agreement was signed between a Chinese company and several Dutch horticultural suppliers for the construction of the Dezhou Horti Center in China. Several governmental officials, as well as the board of HortiTech were present during the signing ceremony. HortiTech is the…

Royal Brinkman exclusive partner of Riococo in Mexico

Royal Brinkman and Ceyhinz Link join forces to provide growers in Mexico with Riococo coconut substrate mats. "Our specialists in Mexico advise growers on their crop strategy. Substrate is an essential part of this. We already have rock wool blocks and germ plugs in our assortment and now with the…

"Our scale is our strength"

Fruca Marketing is a produce wholesaler based in Murcia, Spain. Through the years, it has grown into a giant in the area of lettuce, melons and watermelons, citrus, and bell peppers. At the start of the melon season, we paid a visit to this company. There, the Dutch Mariska de Zoete has been working in the company's Sales…

"In our delivery area, sales are growing steadily"

In recent years, the German convenience sector is growing and flourishing at a rapid pace. From the traditional ​​salads and peeled raw materials (potatoes, carrots, onions), the national market is increasingly turning towards ready meals, delicatessen and fine menus. As a result, there are new…

"There is no 'no can do' in the pre-cut industry"

In the field of large-scale consumption and gastronomy, the shortage of staff and thus also the demand for low-expenditure fresh produce is the order of the day. Parallel to this social trend, the product selection of high-quality cuttings and convenience items is also growing. The family-owned company…

"The greenhouse strawberry season was fairly changeable this year"

While redcurrant and gooseberry might be known as ‘heirloom fruits’ and not receive their fair share of attention, this isn’t the case at BelOrta. “We carry the entire range of soft fruit, and we also have good sales for redcurrant and gooseberry, and we can create a decent income for our growers,” says…

Koppert partners with Nitrasoil in Argentina

Koppert Biological Systems, a Dutch company specialized in biological crop protection, has acquired the Argentine company Nitrasoil. In addition to the physical expansion within South America, this purchase takes the company into a new sector in the agricultural market: inoculants. With the acquisition…

Bayer relocates North American Crop Science Division to Missouri

During a press conference, Governor Mike Parson of Missouri announced that Bayer’s North American Crop Science Division is relocating 500 new, high-paying jobs to Creve Coeur, Missouri, with an average wage of $110,000 and a capital investment of $164 million. The announcement comes after Governor…

HortiDaily Holiday!

As our long-time readers know, this time of the year means it's time for our summer holiday. For the next two weeks we will not publish any news and will not send out any newsletters. In the next two…

Western Australia: Mariginiup gooseberry farm takes off

Dean Wakefield and his wife Alex recently established the farm with Kevin and Kathy Stubbs - who own the land. The Wakefields operated an open crop gooseberry farm in Zimbabwe…

"Virus problems require even better scouting and communication"

Hygiene measures in greenhouse horticulture are increasingly being enforced nowadays. That makes sense, but it makes it more difficult to assess the disease and infestation level, according to Arno Moerman, Vegetable Growing Consultant at Koppert Biological Systems. "After all, consultants can no longer…

Spain: La Mayora, seeking solutions against Tomato yellow leaf curl virus

A group of researchers from the Institute of Subtropical and Mediterranean Horticulture (IHSM) La Mayora, led by Elvira Fiallo and Jesús Navas, recently published an article…

ToBRFV confirmed in UK greenhouse

Symptoms of the Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus (ToBRFV) have been reported for the first time in a UK tomato crop. Confirmed by laboratory testing, the outbreak has been reported to the Plant Health and Seeds Inspectorate (PHSI). The affected glasshouse has taken the necessary steps to eradicate the…

"Extremadura's plum sector should be better organized"

Francisco Gómez Lozano is the manager of the San Isidro agricultural cooperative, based in the town of Villanueva de la Serena since 1992, which is currently fully involved in…

Holland Rail Terminal: from Bleiswijk to Berlin by train

From Bleiswijk, in the Netherlands, to Berlin by train. If preparations and construction go well, the first Ro-Ro train will depart in 2024. The new, still to be built, train connection is an initiative of not only governments but industry organizations as well. It is also the idea of, especially,…

"Organic and conventional productions shouldn't be combined"

This week, the sweet potato campaign is starting in Malaga with the prospect of a productive and high quality harvest, as well as a good availability of commercial sizes. As far as prices are concerned, the situation is also looking promising due to the high demand. Adverse weather conditions in certain…

Seasonal worker challenge: Finding solutions

British Growers’ C hief Executive Jack Ward has been in meetings with officials from the Home Office looking for practical solutions to the challenge of securing adequate…

Spain: Dry weather has taken a toll on the productions of all Andalusian provinces

As reported by COAG Andalucía, the dry weather registered in 2019 in Andalusia has had a massive impact on many parts of the region and has had consequences on the fruit and…

UK: 30% of survey respondents needed seasonal labour

The Seasonal Labour in Horticulture Survey in England collected data regarding the first quarter of 2019. The results presented in this publication are classified as experimental statistics. Experimental Statistics are those that are within their development phase and are published in order to involve…

Japan: Cucumber trouble after Tokyo hit by cloudiest spell ever

Japan has been hit by unseasonably cloudy weather and cool temperatures, Tokyo enjoying fewer than three hours of sunshine a day for 20 days through to Tuesday, the lowest recorded since Japan’s Meteorological Agency started collecting data in 1961. These cloudy have certainly cast a shadow over the…

Moroccan tomato exports to Europe, at the same level as Almeria's

The Association of Fruit and Vegetable Producer Organizations of Almería, Coexphal, has taken stock of the past season in Almería, describing it as a good campaign. It also highlights what a big competitor Morocco has become for the Andalusian tomato exporting sector. Competition According to Coexphal…

"In Australia, they are cultivating in the Dutch way more and more”

Although he is saying goodbye to Royal Brinkman Australia, his heart remains in this country filled with horticultural possibilities. Back in 2000, Job Roskam moved to the Land Down Under and since then has seen the greenhouse horticultural industry develop at a rapid pace. “Especially the vegetable…

Generate energy above the crop with a solar concentrator in your greenhouse

Using sunlight to generate energy without filling the greenhouse with solar panels. With this idea, Lucas de Groot recently won first prize in the Cleantech Challenge. “In the energy agreement, the Dutch government also requires glasshouse horticulture to reduce energy demand. This can be achieved by…

Dutch geothermal installation has to stop

Recently, the Dutch State Supervision of Mines (SodM) reacted negatively on the request of Californië Lipzig Geothermie BV (CLG) to continue operations after the project had…

Testing for better crop monitoring with tomato plants

Researchers assessed the discriminative strength of three different satellite spectral settings (HyspIRI, the forthcoming Landsat 9 and Sentinel 2-MSI), in mapping tomato (Solanum lycopersicum Linnaeus) plants grown under hydroponic system, using human-excreta derived materials (HEDM), namely, anaerobic…

"Almeria is a global point of reference in plant genetic improvement"

Manuel Jamilena Quesada and Cecilia Martínez Martínez, professors of Genetics of the University of Almería, were at the Cajamar Cultural Center (Casa de Las Mariposas) to…

The rise, fall and resurrection of a Russian seed bank pioneer

Suspect for State’s Case Number 1500 sat in his cell, facing unending days of solitary confinement and interrogation, accused of spying “for foreign intelligence services.”…

UK: NIAB EMR launches new strawberry varieties

Rt Hon Robert Goodwill MP, Minister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, has today launched two new strawberry varieties from the East Malling Strawberry Breeding Programme (EMSBC) based at NIAB EMR. MallingTM Champion is a new ever-bearer variety with a very high percentage of Class 1 fruit,…

Investor summit supercharges Danish robotics innovation

Where in the world can you find the best robotics innovation and talent? You might say Japan, Germany, or on American soil at Carnegie Mellon, MIT or USC. But did you know Denmark has been called the ‘Silicon Valley’ of robotics? Bilge Jacob Christiansen, a former UR engineer, developed a collaborative…

New agricultural robot developed in Fujian, China

The Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences and the Fujian Newland Era Hi-Tech Co Ltd have developed a new agricultural robot with 5G technology and sensors that can move between the rows of leafy vegetables in greenhouses, collect data on the plants and send them to the control room where they are…

"Being able to disinfect various types of (drain) water gives grower flexibility"

Strawberry growers regularly grow both in the greenhouse, on racks and in the open field. This results in different types of drain water. To be able to properly disinfect all that water, a flexible UV water disinfection unit is more than welcome, also in light of all, ever stricter rules. "The VGE…

OFVGA submits response to government’s initiative to modernize Ontario’s Blue Box Program

The Blue Box Program is meant to reduce waste from the sector, but the OFVGA in their response look to address potential issues for growers that could arise from the program. The OFVGA states that the sector is aware that change is necessary to reduce waste production, and that the sector is looking for…

Summer supper club coming to Instagram

Village Farms is teaming up with My Diary of Us to provide a place where folks can come together and discuss recipes and other cooking ideas. Called the Summer Supper Club, it…

New substrates offer results without the need for specialized equipment

The HydraFiber family of advanced substrate products is expanding with two new products, HydraFiber Hybrid and HydraFiber EZ Blend, providing a broader range of solutions for growers and soil blenders of any size, anywhere in the world, without the need for specialized processing equipment. HydraFiber…

US: Some producers question value of organic certification

Instead of spraying pesticides, Dubuque’s Stone Hollow Gardens & Shroomery uses predato ry insects. Instead of chemical fertilizers, it amends the soil with fungi, through…

"It is difficult to lower the temperature in the vegetable core to the required four degrees."

Lettuce, carrots, radish: In a heat wave like we had last week, vegetable farmers have to come up with something, so that the goods still arrive fresh on the shelf. Lettuces, carrots, radish and cauliflower are currently piled up in green boxes in the cold store of the Gartenbauzentrale Main-Donau. The…

Jim Pryor

US: Number of foodborne illnesses associated with outbreaks in tomatoes has decreased

About 48 million episodes of foodborne illness and 3,000 deaths occur per year in the United States. The most common foodborne pathogens cause an estimated annual burden of $14 billion to $36 billion. Produce has been implicated in 46 percent of foodborne illness outbreaks. Tomatoes have been the source…

Americans can still meet fruit and veg guidelines for $2.10-2.60 per day

Every five years, USDA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services jointly release a new version of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans with information and recommendations about how individuals can achieve a healthy diet. During 2019, the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee—composed of…

Advances in grow lighting: industry workshop

NIAB working in conjunction with the AHDB, is hosting a unique one-day horticulture lighting workshop that will take place at its award-winning conference Centre on the outskirts of Cambridge. This grower-focused event offers a platform for growers of all protected crops to engage and discuss the latest…

Photo report: Cultivate 2019

Although some exhibitors had the feeling the 2019 Cultivate show was slightly slower than it was last year, the event remains one of the best to meet up with suppliers active in the North American market. Celebrating its 90th edition this year, the show attracted more than 650 exhibitors and thousands of guests. Click here for…

Partnership brings increased artichoke sales

Ocean Mist® Farms said it has recorded a significant increase in artichoke sales through its retail displays and promotions in partnership with Four Seasons Produce. In June, Four Seasons Produce worked directly with Lexington Co-op Markets in Buffalo, NY to move thousands of artichokes in just five…

Pink Farms secures early funding to bring vertical farming to Brazil

SP Ventures, a Venture Capital investment fund manager specialized in agribusiness, and Capital Lab, a proprietary investment platform for starting and venture capital, announced their two million Real ($532,000) into vertical farming start-up Pink Farms. Pink Farms is one of the first urban vertical…

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