Trade shows, viruses and vertical farming

Traditionally, February is a month full of events, and 2020 was no different. IPM Essen, Fruit Logistica, HortiContact and HortEx were all held more or less as usual. Meanwhile, COVID-19 started popping up in the headlines, but its effects were still mostly confined to Asia.

Another virus that made headlines was ToBRFV, which continued to rear its ugly head among tomato crops. There was good news too, with several expansions - vertical farming was a particularly successful industry in February. And indoor agriculture even made it to the Guggenheim Museum in New York, the Countryside exposition opening there.

LED's take a closer look

Photo report: Technique on IPM Essen 2020

The 38th edition of the IPM Essen was organised last week. This year the fair attracted 54,000 visitors, slightly more than in 2019 when 52,800 visitors traveled to Essen to…

Photo report: Horticultural companies at the Fruit Logistica 2020

The show is over in Berlin! For the first time the Fruit Logistica dedicated hall 8.1 especially to greenhouse technology. The results can be found here: we have some photos…

YOOM™ tomato wins Fruit Logistica Innovation Award 2020

Red, yellow and brown - watch out: here's purple

Colours are hot in the fresh produce industry and now that red, brown and yellow tomatoes are widely available in supermarkets, it's time for something new. That's what they…

photo report: HortiContact

International suppliers joining in Dutch horticultural market

Last week, the HortiContact show took place in Gorinchem, the Netherlands. For many suppliers focusing on the European market, this is the last one of the hattrick: IPM Essen…

Photo gallery of the Tomato World event

The industry tomato chain reunited at Tomato World in Piacenza on 20th and 21st February 2020. The main event on the first day was the convention coordinated by Tiberio…

Diversity in Vietnamese horticulture shown at HortEx

Walking around at the HortEx show that is organised in Ho Chi Minh City this week, it becomes clear that the Vietnamese industry is diverse. Whereas for some growers starting…

Chinese companies find foreign employees to participate instead of them

Fruit Logistica still confident in coming event, takes extra measures

This Wednesday the Fruit Logistica in Berlin will take place. Last week we had an update that about 30% of the Chinese companies would not attend but this…

project delays

Coronavirus outbreak affects horticultural industry

Gesundheit startet hier! That’s what the disinfection gel dispensers read on the IPM last week. This week the Chinese hall is pretty empty during the Fruit Logistica show in… 

Sept.-Nov., 2020

Hortiflor Beijing postponed due to coronavirus

Following the outbreak of the nCoV (Coronavirus), the Hortiflorexpo is being postponed. The show was to take place in Beijing in April this year. The organizers will announce…

Original solution to COVID-19 issues

Online guidance enables remote greenhouse construction

Since December, the COVID-19 virus has been causing serious problems for China's Hubei province, and now it’s already spread worldwide. Greenhouse construction projects have…

Chinese suppliers deal with road blocks

"Back in business after COVID-19 delays"

With China being an important country for the production of many horticultural supplies, the outbreak and the fear for the COVID-19 disturbs quite a few production processes.…

Presence of ToBRFV confirmed in six greenhouses of Almeria

On January 24, the presence of the tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) was officially confirmed in the Spanish Autonomous Region of Andalusia. It was…

ANSES proposes measures to keep ToBRFV out of France

ToBRFV has been making the rounds in Europe, so it's no surprise that the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES) has also taken note.…

Netherlands: Peruvian tomato seed with ToBRFV intercepted

The Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) has been found on tomato seed that has been imported from Peru to the Netherlands. The Dutch food and safety…

French greenhouse infected with ToBRFV

In France, the first ToBRFV find has been confirmed. The virus was found in a tomato greenhouse in Finistère, Brittany. The farm has been closed, the infected…

Source ToBRFV contamination France unclear

Further to our article in yesterday’s newsletter on ToBRFV being found in a tomato greenhouse in France, we would like to make it absolutely clear that the…

Turkey's first plant factory enters production in Antalya

An Antalya-based firm has established Europe's largest and Turkey's first plant factory with an estimated investment of 2.5 million euros ($2.77 million), as part of its…

foundation for construction is being constructed in 2 phases

Netherlands: Construction of 24 ha geothermal greenhouse in full swing

At the beginning of this year, the foundation was laid for the expansion of Dutch pepper grower Hoogweg. In addition to the 120 hectares spread over 5 locations, this year 24…

UK: Midlands vertical farm gets green light from planners

Developers Shockingly Fresh have just received planning permission for a 1.2 ha site near Offenham in Worcestershire for their naturally-lit vertical farm – which uses special…

Russia: 7 ha greenhouse opened in Stavropol

The second phase has been launched in the greenhouse complex for year-round vegetable growing, located in the Mirny village (Predgorny area, Stavropol). The acreage of the… 

US (MD): Gotham Greens opens 100,000 sq.ft. greenhouse in Baltimore

Gotham Greens opened its new, 100,000 square foot hydroponic greenhouse outside of Baltimore. Reimagining a portion of the former Bethlehem Steel Mill located in Sparrows…

Freight Farms raises $15M in Series B funding led by Ospraie Ag Science

Freight Farms, the containerized vertical farming company, announced that it has raised $15 million in Series B funding led by Ospraie Ag Science, an…

Mike Mastronardi joins Ecoation

Mike Mastronardi joins the Ecoation team as Director of Field Operations, working from the company's Kingsville, Ontario Office. Mike brings 16+ years of experience in the greenhouse…

Elevate Farms completes capital funding to scale operations and secure IP

Elevate Farms announced the closing of a $1.8M funding led by Brightspark Ventures. Elevate Farms’ system aims to deliver a product that is larger, tastes better, and has…

Horticulture stars in Guggenheim Museum

The exposition Countryside, The Future opens at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York on February 20, 2020. By organizing this exposition, Rem Koolhaas’ think tank AMO…

Healthy fun during sixth Tomato Day in Almería

The Tomato Day party was held on February 22 in Almería and served to value the flagship product of the province. Throughout Saturday morning, the Paseo de Almería gathered…

Spanish growers plan new protests

The agricultural organizations Asaja, COAG and UPA have described the protests of recent days as a "resounding success", with about 35,000 people taking part in the…