De Koffiejongens (Dutch for the Coffee Boys), suppliers of organic coffee, will grow coffee in the greenhouse. Together with the HAS green academy and InnoGrowers, they are setting up coffee cultivation in the Netherlands. Meanwhile, WUR is also still actively pursuing greenhouse coffee cultivation.
On Tuesday, De Koffiejongens, HAS and InnoGrowers officially signed a cooperation agreement for an innovative and multi-year research project in which the parties will grow coffee plants in a sustainable way in a Dutch greenhouse. Starting this month, students from the HAS will start working on designing the cultivation strategy.
"By growing locally, we not only reduce CO₂ emissions from transport, but also develop knowledge that can contribute to the preservation of coffee cultivation worldwide. We see this as a challenging multi-year project, because only by experimenting can we innovate," they stated when announcing the news.
Not for the first time
Experts predict problems in traditional coffee cultivation due to climate change resulting in increasing weather extremes. As a result, greenhouse cultivation is in the picture. Several years ago, WUR already conducted research into greenhouse cultivation for coffee producer Douwe Egberts. The study was not followed up.
Previous WUR research showed that it is indeed possible to grow a coffee bush in a greenhouse and eventually harvest berries. The crop grows well in a relatively dark, humid and warm climate. Remarkably, the flowering period lasted longer in the greenhouse than outdoors: it managed to stretch from April to November, i.e. more than half a year.
It is clear to WUR researcher Filip van Noort that if you want to grow in greenhouses, production has to go up. After all, greenhouse cultivation is more expensive than outdoors, as is the case for many other crops. A new project may also start at WUR this year, with another party interested in growing coffee in greenhouses.
