Toronto based CO2 GRO Inc. is pleased to announce that it will install a Commercial Feasibility CO2 Delivery Solutions VCO2 system in a portion of Iowa based DeJong Greenhouse’s 11,600 square foot strawberry cultivation greenhouse. In February 2017, Minnesota based Dan & Jerry’s Greenhouses, one of the top 100 greenhouse growers in the US, bought DeJong.
This is GROW’s first Commercial Feasibility with a strawberry greenhouse and in the state of Iowa. The objectives of the Feasibility are to assess the impact of CO2 Delivery Solutions on faster fruit harvests, increased fruit production per harvest, Perimeter Protection against the spread of microbial pathogens and CO2 usage.
The Global Strawberry Market In 2017, the US produced $3.6 billion of strawberries with California and Florida accounting for 91% of US production. The US has approximately a 16% global production share of the nine-million-ton global strawberry market according to Tridge.
While still small as a percentage of the global strawberry market, there is a trend towards building, expanding or repurposing more local greenhouses dedicated to growing strawberries in both the US and Canada. Year-round premium flavor from picking nearly ripe strawberries is driving this trend.
According to John Archibald, GROW’s CEO, “We are excited to start a Feasibility with yet another high value greenhouse crop. Strawberries and other fruits are excellent crops for our technology as the supplemental CO2 not only increases yield, but also the additional carbohydrates production can improve the sweet flavor of the fruit."
CO2 GRO