Dutch Campari tomatoes grown under LED lights for the first time

After getting excellent operating results by growing plum tomatoes under LED lights, grower Wim Peters has decided to light his Tasty Tom (Campari) tomatoes with LEDs as well, starting this fall. This is the first time that a company has lit this cocktail tomato in this way.

Last year Kwekerij Wim Peters BV, based in Someren, installed a hybrid lighting system with LED interlighting and HID toplighting and obtained results that exceeded expectations. His aim was to supply tomatoes of the highest quality all year round. The excellent results and large differences between plants grown under LED and those not grown under lights prompted him to use Philips LED GreenPower interlighting for his top-quality Tasty Tom tomatoes as well. This fall Peters is planning to install 8248 LEDs and combine them with HID toplighting in an existing modern greenhouse. He expects to see here the same improvements in quality, climate control, energy savings and continuity of production throughout the year as he obtained in his other greenhouse.

With this new approach Peters aims to meet the year-round demand for Tasty Toms, and following the positive experiences he had of growing his plum tomatoes under LEDs he is convinced that the LED solutions are effective. The LEDs are to be installed by Philips LED Horti Partner BE De Lier and part of the funding is from a GMO subsidy managed by the ZON growers association, with which Peters has worked for some time. Besides Kwekerij Wim Peters BV, Biesbrouck Greet BVA in Belgium and tomato grower Van der Kaaij of Berlikum in Friesland are also planning to use Philips LED interlighting to light their tomatoes starting this season.

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