January not only kicks off the new year, it's also the start of trade show season, with the IPM Essen as a main gathering for the industry. This month saw a number of expansions, while growers in Europe faced heavy weather, and a big merger in the Dutch tomato industry didn't go through. ToBRFV also started to become a big issue for tomato growers worldwide.
Van der Burg Peppers rebuilds 2.3 hectares:
"Making quality improvements with renewed greenhouse"
"Up till last summer, the old greenhouse had done nearly thirty cultivation rounds, which means that, according to present standards for sweet pepper cultivation, the greenhouse was about done", says Sofinus van der Burg from Van der Burg Peppers from Est in Gelderland province. "Especially the technical…
US (MN): Revol Greens announces facility partnership to expand operations
Revol Greens, a Minnesota greenhouse farm that supplies fresh, locally grown lettuce and greens, announces a facility equity partnership with Equilibrium Capital to drive expansion in 2019. Although plans are still in development, Revol Greens plans to at least double the size of its Medford, Minnesota…
AmHydro travels to Russia and India
Bangalore: 1.5 acre hydroponic complex to produce leafy greens and vine crops
The AmHydro Team was busy in December and early January with two international trips to countries eager to join the controlled environment agricultural movement. As the population continues to rise and resources become more limited, hydroponic farming is gaining huge momentum around the world. This December in Moscow, AmHydro's Vice President Joe…
Crisis management in Spanish horticultural industry
The Spanish association of producer organizations ASAJA has asked for the enforcement of prevention and crisis management measures in order to prevent the collapse of the prices of some products, as has been the case for cucumbers in recent weeks. Ever since mid-December, prices have plunged - especially in…
Spain devotes 14.2 M€ to greenhouse modernization
The Andalusian Council of Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development has published the list of the 233 beneficiaries of aid for the modernization of greenhouses, who will receive a total of more than 14.2 million Euro. This figure will serve to meet all valid applications. The grants, which are given in the framework of…
Sicilian tunnels affected by frost
Sicily has to deal with the damage caused by the snow and frost that have affected the entire regional territory during a particularly troublesome year. Artichoke field near Vittoria (RG). Snow and frost have incredibly reached sea level on the night between 4th and 5th January and temperatures dropped to -5°C in southern Sicily. After…
Horticultural insurance: Over 1,000 claims reported so far
Alpine foothills: Situation has worsened
Heavy snowfall in the Alpine foothills has led, as was reported earlier, to snow damage at several greenhouses in early January. The horticultural insurance sector has reported a good deal of damages from insured businesses. Due to further snowfall and rain, the situation was even more acute for the weekend…
growers coping with the polar vortex
Cold? Not in the greenhouse!
"The number one reason why indoor farming makes sense." Quoted here is Robert Colangelo with Green Sense Farms as he is showing the difference between dozens of centimeters of snow outside and freshly growing veggies inside his farm in Portage, Indiana. Temperature hits a minimum of -19F and there's a…
Photo Report International Soft Fruit Conference 2019:
Even in a year of extremes, technical novelties cheer up the strawberry industry
The European strawberry market might have been extreme last year - but some things are same old same old. One of them is the International Soft Fruit Conference, which traditionally takes place at the start of the new year, and yesterday the moment was there. Old friends and new techniques occupied the Dutch…
Photo report: SIVAL 2019
French suppliers don't stop at the French borders
It's been three busy days for the exhibitors of the Sival exhibition in France. Starting Tuesday and closing down Thursday, the show attracted many visitors. "Better than ever", many visitors said. One thing is not to be doubted when visiting the Sival: it's a French show, and while the amount of international suppliers have…
photo report
LED novelties and catching up at IPM 2019
While for many horticultural suppliers the IPM is the show to meet up with their floriculture customers, also many suppliers use the exhibition to show their technical novelties. A remarkable amount of LED product launches took place during last week's exhibition. Check out our photo report. The Mechatronix team LED all around A new…
Looye Kwekers and RedStar
Big merger in Dutch tomato industry annulled
It would have created a tomato farm of more than 150 hectares, with a turnover of 180 million euros and focusing on the high-end market completely. The merger between Dutch tomato growers Looye Kwekers and RedStar got cancelled, however. After…
Why Dutch tomato growers are merging their companies
Even taken into consideration that the merger between Looye Kwekers and Redstar was cancelled yesterday , 2018 was the year of tomato mergers in the Netherlands. The sector was shaken by news from this industry multiple times. Schenkeveld and…
Chris Higgins, Hort Americas:
"Labor is the number one topic in all the conversations we are currently having"
As we begin 2019, the moment is here to take a general look at the industry, and who better to discuss today’s topics with than Chris Higgins? With Hort Americas continually competing to be one of the leading wholesalers in North America, and Chris being a complete horti-geek, he’s on top of the industry’s…
Horticulture industry responds to rejection of deal
Will beneficial insects and bumblebees fall victim to Brexit?
Prime Minister Theresa May suffered a defeat yesterday in British Parliament. A clear majority of 432 votes were cast against her proposal. May’s plan had the support of 202 MPs. One thing is now clear: uncertainty prevails. What will the consequences for the horticultural industry? Beneficials & bumblebees "We've ta…
Germany, Sicily, California, Mexico
Tomato brown rugose fruit virus bothers growers all over the world
After findings of the Tomato brown rugose (ToBRFV) fruit virus in Germany, California and Sicily, the virus has now been reported in Mexico. In September 2018, ToBRFV was first detected in 8 nurseries growing tomatoes and capsicum in the municipality of Yurecuaro (State of Michoacan). The virus was also…
Australia: Mark Millis, Flavorite founder, passes away
Mark Millis passed away on Saturday 26th January 2019. With Mark Millis’ passing, Flavorite has lost a passionate Australian glasshouse pioneer in the fresh food business. Mark was one of the founders of Flavorite who shared and delivered his vision to grow and supply flavoursome glasshouse tomatoes and other fresh produce…