Cucumber grower Reijm en Zn. BV, which consists of Piet, Jaap, and Jan Reijm, expands with the acquisition of a tomato farm from brothers Wilfred and Vincent van Winden in Zevenhuizen, the Netherlands. The greenhouse consists of over 11.5 hectares of glass, of which 6 hectares are fitted with assimilation lighting. As a result, Reijm is now able to cultivate cucumbers year-round.
Wilfred and Vincent van Winden, and Jaap, Jan and Piet Reijm
Taking full advantage of heat
Jan Reijm explains: "At the beginning of 2020 we indicated at Yeald that we were looking for a greenhouse for lighted cucumber cultivation. Through our sales organization Oxin Growers we deliver all our products to Bakker Barendrecht / Albert Heijn. They wanted to join us in lighted cucumber cultivation. We made it clear that we were looking for a new greenhouse."
Through Yeald, the cucumber growers began talks with the brothers Van Winden. "They had a combination of a lighted and non-lighted greenhouse, ideal for future energy distribution. Because if you use lighting, you always have a little bit of heat left. That is why installing lighting in our existing greenhouse was not ideal for us. There is always some heat left. If you have a lighted and non-lighted cultivation next to each other, you can use the residual heat from the lighted cultivation for the non-lighted cultivation."
First lighted cucumbers at the beginning of 2021
The transfer of the greenhouse took place on December 1st and preparations are being made to be able to plant the new cucumber cultivation on December 11th. "We will use lighting from the start for this cultivation, so that we have the first cucumbers around January 4th and we can harvest 6 fruits per meter. Compared to the non-lighted cultivation, with in the beginning just 1.5 cucumbers per meter, this is quite a difference. It gives you substantial production from the start."
Over the next few years, the growers want to see if they can harvest a bit earlier with the lighted cucumber cultivation.
Growth
With the expansion Reijm grows to over 20 hectares of glass, of which 8 hectares are lighted peppers and 5.5 hectares are non-lighted cucumbers, and over 6 hectares are lighted cucumbers. The growth is focused on the increased market demand for year-round Dutch cucumbers.
Reijm's cucumber farm on the AH Verwijweg was sold to TVA Growers.
For more information:
FA. Reijm en Zn.
Jan Reijm
+31-6-53698927
jan@reijm-en-zn.nl