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Friday, March 24, 2023


The biggest greenhouse built in Spain in one unit
10% increase of tomato production in the new Looije greenhouses
While a team meeting to coordinate the day's work is ending, we get ready to go into the new greenhouse with our disinfected clothes. At the greenhouse entrance, we meet Jacqueline Looije, the general director of Looije Aguilas, who quickly leads us into the greenhouse. We are already aware of its large…

Horticultural experts discuss future of Chinese industry
Last week, the 11th meeting of the Beijing Factory Engineering Technology Research Center took place. “Research and suggestions from experts and members of the technical committee will help innovation”, said Mr. Gu Benjia, the committee chairman and general manager of Kingpeng, in the welcome speech at…


Downward tomato trend in Spain reversed since energy crisis
The market for tomatoes produced in Spain has been on the decline for the past 5-10 years, while peppers and cucumbers have been growing. Since the recent energy crisis in Northern Europe, however, the downward tomato trend has been reversed. “That’s because in Spain, you don’t need to heat your…

AU: Provenance Propagation construction close to completion
With the glasshouse construction on track to finish in April 2023, Provenance Propagation is poised to become a leader in the Australian horticulture industry. "We're setting the standard for quality, service, and excellence in vegetable propagation." Provenance Propagation is on the verge of revolutionizing…

Busy days at GreenTech Americas 2023 in Mexico
GreenTech Americas has come to an end, and this Monday, March 27, we'll present you with a full photo report. For today, we have some snapshots of the show for you. Arjan Levahrt van Hortinvest and Julien Boijmans with Kekkila Ian Moreel with Climate Systems and Nicole Holmes with Rancho Mexico Sonny Moerenhout with…

Marco van der Velden, CEO of Artechno
"If you don’t focus on the plant, you cannot develop the tech to be successful”
Although the high-tech pieces of equipment in greenhouses and vertical farms are oddly charming to watch, they tend to stray the attention away from the main point: plants. Thousands-colors LEDs, rolling benches, dripping lines, grow towers – how can one not stare at them? However, at the end of the day,…

"Galvanized steel roofs of vital importance for clean water"
"For many applications, a reliable supply of clean water is indispensable. The water needs to meet drinking water standards and/or needs to be free of dirt, debris, contaminants, and bacteria. UV light should be blocked to avoid the growth of algae", says Arjen van Dijk, Director of Water storage at NPI.…

Spain: "Competition from Central European greenhouse vegetable products will gain force in March"
In week 9, corresponding to the period between February 27 and March 3, 2023, the price of the main greenhouse products continued to be high for this time of year. However, as…

The Nido One V2 version will be launched soon
An Italian innovative system for managing hydroponic crops
"Our automated management system can be installed in only a few minutes by simply drilling two holes in the nutrient solution tank to upgrade the greenhouse to become automated and interconnected. Our system stands out for its simplicity, efficiency, and low costs compared to any other technology on the…

Year-round eggplants from Sicilian specialists
The Melanzì brand was launched in 2016, originally for a line of products that included jams, competes, and other canned fruit and vegetable products. However, in 2020, the founders of the Sicilian cooperative Ortonatura reverted back to their early business years, over 30 years ago now, with the…

Indoor growers fight pests and diseases with LED lighting
Horticultural lighting in indoor growing facilities and nighttime treatment with specific wavelengths on outdoor crops are under review for effectiveness in reducing pests and diseases that impact yields and profits. New research suggests that indoor growers and greenhouse operators use lighting in order…

GROOF: Greenhouses to Reduce CO2 on Roofs
Project researching rooftop greenhouses awarded
On Monday, March 20, 2023, the European project GROOF of Interreg NWE, supported by the CDEC, received the prestigious "Energy Globe Award." The CDEC - Council for Economic Development in Construction and especially the GROOF project received the prestigious Energy Globe Award for its outstanding…

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Leveraging data-driven growing techniques to optimize treatment costs and increase crop yields
In a constantly changing world where margins are tight, greenhouse growers are looking for ways to optimize the cost of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and ensure that they are not overspending. With many solution providers in the space, it can be challenging to identify which innovations will prove to…

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AU: $11.5M effort to deliver bot-ready strawberries
Strawberries specially bred for automated picking will soon become a reality in Australia after the launch of an initiative to develop varieties that can be easily harvested by a robot. Scientists will naturally meld together the flavor, color, and aroma traits Aussies love the most with premium…

Local Bounti welcomes Jennifer Carr-Smith to its Board of Directors
Local Bounti Corporation announced that Jennifer Carr-Smith has been appointed to the company's Board of Directors and will serve on the Compensation Committee of the Board. Craig Hurlbert, Co-CEO and Board Chair of Local Bounti stated, "We are very excited to announce the appointment of Jennifer to our Board.…
Today on social media more »

Innovation Manager Softfruits at The Greenery
Klaas de Jager
Double crop Inspire today with our growers in Dutch glasshouses, looking amazing!
Greenhouse expansion projects more »

Solar Harvest via yukon-news.com
CAN (YT): Growing greens in passive solar greenhouses
When life gives you sunshine, trap it in the soil and grow lemons with it — or maybe tomatoes, herbs, and cucumbers. That’s Sarah Ouellette’s plan after she constructs the Yukon’s first commercially producing passive solar greenhouse. Ouellette is the owner and operator of Sarah’s Harvest, an organic…
Open Field more »

David Madiot, Gautier Semences:
“Liniac zucchini: quality choice among open field crops”
This spring, Gautier Semences is launching Liniac, a new variety of long green zucchinis for open field crops. “This variety is characterized by a high yield in conditions of viral pressure thanks to its resistance to 4 viruses and very good tolerance to powdery mildew, an asset to maintain a clean crop…
Cultivation more »

Vegetable breeder highlights springtime Arugula varieties
Tozer Seeds is concentrated on developing new and improved varieties aligned with market trends. The company calls itself an originator of wild arugula seeds, breeding them for over 20 years, with many of them recognized for their high quality, flavor, and vigor. This breeding program has resulted in a…
Technique more »

Nanotube sensors are capable of detecting and distinguishing gibberellin plant hormones
Researchers from the Disruptive and Sustainable Technologies for Agricultural Precision (DiSTAP) interdisciplinary research group of the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART), MIT’s research enterprise in Singapore, and their collaborators from Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory have…
Company News more »

Amelie Aust promoted to Executive Chair of Fall Creek Board of Directors
Fall Creek Farm & Nursery, Inc., has announced the promotion of Amelie Aust to the executive chair of the family-owned blueberry breeding and nursery company’s independent…

Excellent sales campaign for Sicilian cherry tomatoes
"This year, we can say we are pleased with the tomato campaign despite the difficulties that the production sector has had to face because of the weather," reports Salvatore Albani, president of the PO that bears his surname and operating in Vittoria (RG), Sicily. Salvatore Albani "Unfortunately, there…

La Unión achieves a turnover of 307 million euro that allows it to double its EBITDA
A few months before its 30th anniversary, La Unión, a leading company in the marketing of fruits and vegetables, published its annual balance for the 2022 financial year, in which it grew by 8.4% over the previous year. "La Unión was able to maintain its status as a leading company and double its EBITDA over…

Marcel van der Pluijm, Feeling Fresh:
"Niche products like Radicchio Rosso lift nicely on the shipment"
Recently, Feeling Fresh sent the first pallets of red peppers to North American customers. Still, according to Marcel van der Pluijm, it will take some time before the larger volumes will be exported. "For that, our peppers are currently still at too high a level. Moreover, Mexico is in the full market, and…
Grower in the Spotlight more »

Plantables celebrates 5 year anniversary
Husband and wife duo Adrian & Jodi Roelands, owners of Roelands Plant Farms, a 21-acre greenhouse that propagates seedlings for production greenhouses across North America, are thrilled to announce the 5th anniversary of their latest start-up, Plantables. Five years ago, an idea sprouted, pairing their…
Crop Protection more »

Study shows
Mass media campaigns can be effective in promoting safer crop pest and disease control
A new CABI-led study has found that mass media campaigns aimed at changing pesticide use to fight crop pests and diseases are more effective when farmers are exposed to multiple forms of communication. CABI scientists collaborated with colleagues from the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources…
Market Information more »
Many uses: from consumption to packaging innovations
Seaweed production has grown by nearly 75% globally in the past decade
In London, a startup is making a plastic substitute out of seaweed. In Australia and Hawaii, others are racing to grow seaweed that, when fed to livestock, can cut methane…
High vegetable prices drives Sweden’s highest food prices increases in 72 years
Very high vegetable prices in Sweden are driving the highest level of food price increases in the country in 72 years, while they also contributed to the highest inflation in 30 years. Sweden's inflation was up to 12% in February 2023, according to the high-income countries' latest released Consumer…

Monetary value of fresh produce imports from Mexico to US to exceed $53 billion by 2030
According to a recent report from the Center for North American Studies, CNAS, at Texas A&M University, fresh produce imports from Mexico are expected to grow substantially in…
VBT figures week 11
Tomato price back to 2022 levels, strawberry price drops below five-year average
The tomato price fell a little further last week, bringing the week 11 median prices at VBT to 2022 levels. The average prices for cucumber and sweet pepper are still above…
Energy more »
Costs too high:
Germany: Gera-Aga organic farm no longer grows cucumbers
The organic farm in Gera-Aga has stopped growing cucumbers in the greenhouse. The reason is the high energy costs, as Steven Bohn from the organic farm told MDR THÜRINGEN.…
Fertilizers more »

The Go Inverconec Operating Group will present its results at the next Global G.A.P. Tour Stop in Spain 2023
"Fertilizer use has been decreased by 20 to 40%"
The Go Inverconec Operating Group will present at the Global G.A.P. Tour stop in Spain 2023, which will take place on March 14 and 15 at the Palacio de Exposiciones y Congresos de Aguadulce (Almeria), the results of the implementation of a technological tool that brings together and relates greenhouse…
Breeding more »
John Robert Johnson - Enza Zaden Winter Leafy Days
Resistance makes the difference: are our main focus in the leafy vegetable products"
This week the Enza Zaden Winter Leafy Days are being held in El Albujon, Murcia in Spain. Amid demo fields with dozens of familiar and new varieties, Enza Zaden breeders and…
Product Info more »

New tropical mini pepper launched
Windset Farms® introduces SONATA™ Tropical Mini Peppers, the newest addition to the Windset Farms family. The SONATA Tropical Mini Peppers are a Tatayoyo® Mini Pepper variety with a deep orange color, adding brightness and warmth to dishes. With few seeds and sized between a blocky and snack pepper, they…
Substrates more »

Canadian branch for Manisha Exports
Manisha Exports is one of the largest manufacturers and exporters of Coconut fiber, natural fiber, and coconut substrate products in Sri Lanka. The new subsidiary, Manisha Trading Canada, has been established in Oshawa, Ontario, to serve exclusively the growers and distributors in the North American…
Organic more »

Organic produce items saw wide range of performance in 2022
The performance of individual organic produce categories ranged widely last year, according to the State of Organic Produce 2022, a report released by Organic Produce Network. The 72-page report provides an overall view of organic produce retail performance in 2022 as well as specific insights into the…
Post-harvest & Packaging more »

“Taking the most out of your shipments is just one simple step away”
At Otflow, the mission is to reduce food waste on a global scale. Since 2018, their floor covers for containers have been used by over 100 exporters in over 30 countries. Over the past years, the team has been working on new ways to demonstrate the effect of their products, and as a result, they are now…
Food Safety & sanitation more »

NL: Stefix 95 floor sweeper supplied to Van der Knaap Group
At the beginning of January, Steenks Service supplied a floor sweeper to the Van der Knaap Group. Their previous sweeper had ceased to meet their needs, so the company traded it in for the Stefix 95. The old sweeper was collected by Steenks Service and fully refurbished. By offering this sweeper as a…
Events more »

CPMA announces 2023 Passion for Produce participants
The Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) is proud to announce 18 rising stars who will participate in the 2023 Passion for Produce (PFP) program in Toronto. As an…

CEA Online webinar, April 12
Energy price crisis on vertical farming: where do we stand?
On Wednesday, April 12, Global Engage will hold a Virtual Meeting on Controlled Environment Agriculture. The meeting is free to attend and will take up to 60 minutes. The webinar will also be available on demand where registration is required. Click here to register. Since late 2022, the fast-growing…
Retail more »

Organic grower introduces Italian sweet peppers
Wholesum, Fair Trade Certified grower and shipper of organic vegetables, introduces new Italian sweet peppers, Dolci Belles. This new offering is part of the company's strategy to focus on organic greenhouse-grown varieties that bring an upgraded, flavorful experience to the consumer. While traditional peppers have…
Labor and automation more »

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US (FL): Farm workers use Florida march to pressure other companies
Farm workers were leading a five-day, 45-mile (72-kilometer) trek on foot this week from one of the poorest communities in Florida to a mansion-lined, oceanfront town that is one of the richest in an effort to pressure retailers to leverage their purchasing power for better worker pay and working…
Lighting more »

LED research in greenhouse cucumbers in the 2022/2023 season
In the 2022/2023 season, the team with Plantalux tested their new LED luminaires with different spectral compositions and their impact on the cultivation of greenhouse cucumbers. As every year, the tests were carried out in research facilities belonging to the Warsaw University of Life Sciences in Warsaw,…
Irrigation more »

Research uncovers a new approach to cooling greenhouse irrigation water
A research project at a southwestern Ontario greenhouse has found a sustainable method to cool the water that growers use to irrigate their greenhouse vegetable crops - improving both plant health and fruit quality in the process. Using funding from the Greenhouse Competitiveness and Innovation…
Education and research more »

US (VA): Virginia Tech researchers receive National Science Foundation award to secure vegetable production in a changing environment
Virginia Tech researchers in the Center for Advanced Innovation in Agriculture (CAIA) and the Virginia Tech Applied Research Corporation (VT-ARC) were awarded a $750,000 grant by the National Science Foundation Convergence Accelerator program to enhance vegetable production and food security in the…