Visitors to the LUX Hotel can from now on enjoy their greens super-fresh. That might not seem very strange - but please keep in mind that the company is located in Belle Mare Plage. Indeed, one of the most beautiful beaches on the world, but also located very remotely: on Mauritius.
That the guests can eat their fresh greens is because the hotel has recently purchased a TAPKIT. The greenhouse kit from Teshuva Agricultural Projects (T.A.P.). is the first one across the Indian Ocean. According to Eric Le Vieux of Esprit Vert Ltd, the local representative of TAPKIT in this region, it should be the first of many.
Open field cultivation
“In Mauritius, as with Seychelles and Maldives, a big percentage of the island’s fruits and vegetables are still imported. Although the greenhouse sector is long established and continues to develop, the majority of the vegetables we grow are from open field cultivation. The amount of chemical crop protection being used has been creating serious problems not only for the human food chain, but also in the ecosystem. There is now a strong movement towards cleaner, more safe production, and the TAPKIT is a perfect opportunity to reduce and even eliminate pesticide use altogether.”
In the beginning of August the TAPKIT was ready. “We installed an in-line water chiller to lower the irrigation water down to the optimum temperature for the roots to take up the nutrients. Now the unit is getting up to full production. The produce will be enough to meet the requirements of the hotel and may be available to the staff and employees.
Chefs of the hotel visiting the site
Hotel and resorts
“The TAPKIT is an attractive option for large hotels and resorts”, says Eric, "because it provides uniform production all year round, for a wide variety of greens and culinary herbs - all of which are essential daily ingredients for resorts accommodating many guests. Also, many of the world’s leading hotels can be found in remote areas, like small islands or even sandbanks (atolls), where imported produce is hard to acquire still fresh, and likewise, local agriculture is hard to achieve. The TAPKIT raises the quality and the freshness in a big way and it's very exciting to tell customers (hotel guests) that their salads and herbs have travelled zero miles - farm to fork!"
"In addition to being a great financial investment, hotel groups are very committed to improving their sustainability programs, and the TAPKIT is an important enabler for this to happen. We hope to build our next one for a hotel located in Maldives. My team and I are excited about the roll-out of TAPKITs across the Indian Ocean. And most of all, we appreciate the support of our partners in Israel, at Teshuva, who provide vital agronomic support for our growers to make sure they get the most of the greenhouse.”
For more information:
Teshuva Agricultural Projects60 Nof Harim St., Olesh, 42855 Israel
+972-9-8940507
+972-50-7922579
+1-201-5803003
office@taprojects.com
www.taprojects.com