Categories
Greenhouse News

Paradise Fruit, growing berry crops in tunnels

PCA Northern Farm Tours

 

Last week, on the final day of the PCA (Protected Cropping Australia) conference, delegates were given the opportunity to go on farm visits around the area surrounding Brisbane.  All three, of the farm visits, I attended, on the Northern tour, were magnificent and definitely worth the time to go and experience.  The hospitality and information shared was nothing less than superb. 

 

Paradise Fruits

Paradise Fruits is located in Elimbah QLD, it covers a staggering 48 ha over several properties. They grow blueberries and raspberries in low tech greenhouse structures.  The owners, previously strawberry growers, adapted their growing model and now grow alternate berries. 

I found the operation, which provides Australia with raspberries in winter, quite extraordinary.  Tasmanian growers fill the supply chain with raspberries for the same marketing company in the summer, to cover supply, as it is just too hot to grow them viably in the North. 

Paradise fruits is growing both blueberries and raspberries, and they are still learning best growing practices.  To be honest I was very impressed with the low-tech nature of the operation, it had me considering how costly the labour content, and possibly production returns, per plant could be improved over time.  I believe producing in a high-tech structure or even level structures with good ventilation, this operation could potentially increase returns.

 

Check out the photo gallery below as I have made observations and asked questions in regards to the operation:

 

RASPBERRIES

 

Raspberries are planted throughout the year.  This property had all different stages, from prima canes to floricane production. Plants were approximately spaced at 7200 bags per Ha with two canes per coco bag.  Each area was very large.  The space between rows was also large, to allow tractors to drive through for spraying etc.  The variety grown was Kwanza.

 

The plastic tunnels have no ends and several of the tunnels are on very large falls.  The plastic was very white and the reduction of light penetration was large.  There was a further dark netting added on top of the plastic structures in the warmer months for increased shading. There were sprinklers/basic fogging system installed to take the pressure of the plants in the warmer months, with special care not to over wet the plants causing fruit damage and disease pressure.

 

You can see the additional dark netting used (right hand side) in the summer to further shade the structures.

 

Very basic trellis was used, with string at five horizontal levels to stabilize the plants. 

 

As you can see coco bags are used on this farm.  The irrigation is all pressure 2 litre/hour compensated drip lines which is an absolute necessity, with the considerable falls in some of the structures.  Weigh scales have been introduced in one area only.  This is used to control all of the areas currently but as the plants are all at different stages in the houses a second is soon to be added.  This is just one of the improvements being made to the system.  Priva control systems have been added to aid in the growing process.   The PH for the raspberries is kept at 6.5 applied and the EC will vary during the crop stage ranging from 0.8 – 1.5.   The grower is also using this new technology to top up his substrates with night shots on those warm nights when the bags WC can drop due to evapotranspiration.

 

Basic gutter systems are now being retrofitted on the property at a cost of $5 Aus per metre!! This will allow for the collection and recycling of the irrigation runoff.

 

Two spotted mites and Thrips are an issue on this farm but with the use of IPM products the control is very good which is very positive. 

 

You can see from this photo the length of the structures (well over 150 m) and the width between the rows.  There are no gutters in this area yet and the bags sit proud on top of mounded dirt covered in plastic.  The old plant debris is removed to reduce disease and unnecessary pest pressure and as this picture also demonstrates this area is tidy. 

 

New shoots forming.

 

BLUEBERRIES

 

Opie is the blueberry variety grown on the property.  The planting rate is 10400 bags/plants per Ha.  It was going to be halved but they have left it at this planting rate as it is believed to be working on this farm.  The substrate used is a high-volume bag with a coarse structure.  The intention is to grow these plants in each bag for 5 years.  The coco is PH adjusted to 4.7.

 

This year production is hoping to increase to over 4.5 kg per bag.  This particular crop was only a few weeks from first harvest.  The PH on is around 5.5 with a desired runoff PH of 6.0.  The CF applied is between 1.4 – 1.6.

Aphids are one of the pest insects which is controlled using Aphidius (IPM).

Honey bee hives are kept on the property for the pollination.  The tunnels make it easy for them to fly in and out of the structures.

 

In the packhouse strawberry graders have been retrofitted to accommodate for the raspberries.  There is even an impressive metal detector that will blow the punnet off the belt before it hits the blue packing table.  It also will remove underweight punnets ready to be topped up.

 

The taste tests!  They say the proof is in the pudding and they did not disappoint.  Absolutely delicious.

 

 

I appreciate your comments.  Please feel free to comment below or on the grower2grower Facebook page:

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Article Written by Stefan Vogrincic, Consultant, Grower2Grower

Article Edited by Marie Vogrincic, Editor, Grower2Grower

Categories
Greenhouse News

Taste’n See, 1680 Tonnes of Strawberries

PCA Northern Farm Tours

 

Last week, on the final day of the PCA (Protected Cropping Australia) conference, delegates were given the opportunity to complete farm visits around the surrounding area of Brisbane.  All three of the farm visits, on the Northern tour, I attended were magnificent and definitely worth the time to go and experience.  The hospitality and information shared was nothing less than superb. 

The final destination of the day was not a greenhouse but an open field, growing strawberries in Bellmere, Queensland, of which most was now on table/gutter systems.  All the substrate used was coco fibre and all supplied with pressure compensated drip irrigation.  Priva systems were also used as part of the operation.  The delegates were treated to some real insights from Grower Managers Dave Fairweather and Laura Wells.

Producing 1680 tonnes of strawberries per annum is quite an astonishing accomplishment for the joint owners of the business the Schiffke and Stothart families.  Laura Wells is daughter of business co-founders Merv and Marilyn Schiffke.   You can read a previous article written about the farm and the owners on the link below.  The farm operations began over 45 years ago.

Since the previous article, written in 2017, the farm has even more table/gutter production with approximately 22 ha now erected.  The huge advantage of being out of the soil is the saving in back breaking labour picking costs, much better control over the irrigation and management of the plants.  There is still issues with not growing in an open greenhouse (Cravo type) structure such as the heavy rain, causing damage, and the disease pressure this causes, especially powdery mildew which can cause the fruit to split.  The ROI on a retractable covered structure is still too hard to justify but Laura said they will continue to investigate that option in the future.

It truly was a pleasure to visit the farm and listen to Laura’s explanation of how the farm is operated, she certainly has her finger on the pulse.  I was very impressed with her knowledge and expertise.  Laura’s father taught her that if you are “really a farmer you’re on your farm” and she lives by this philosophy and is very hands on with the two farms operations.  

Below in the photo gallery are observations and further facts about this farm:

 

The irrigation is run off a computer system similar to a greenhouse.  Light accumulation is collected from this weather station.

 

Water is supplied via a huge damn on the property and according to Dave even in the most extreme drought, they have experienced, they still never ran out of water. 

This particular property had 12 valve stations with 3 separate feeding lines.  The drippers were 2 litre/hour compensating drippers.  There was ample capacity to irrigate all the plants with their requirements on the hottest times of the year.   The EC, PH and WC are monitored daily with staff randomly checking bags around the farm each day.  There were also fixed sensors for EC and PH. 

The water quality is very good, both Dave and Laura have seen a decreased usage of water growing in the table systems.

 

Huge amounts of coco fibre are used on this farm (great to be a coco supplier!) and currently the coco is being reintroduced into the soil parts of the property.  Going forward a new form of re-using the used media will be addressed.

 

Young, high-health plants are received in plugs from a local nursery and from soilless grown systems now.  Runners are not collected and stored for the next season for plant health reasons.  The main varieties grown are Festival and Fortuna, (Californian cultivars) with a trial of a Queensland bred variety called Red Rhapsody.  All cultivars are day neutral.   Planting is done once a year

Insects such as Two spotted mites are controlled using IPM.  Fruit fly does appear to be harder to control on the table, gutter systems.  Bird’s, that damage fruit, are unbelievably controlled by Ducks!!!  Still not quite sure how that works but go Ducks.

Growing on tables has increased 1st grade %.  A huge positive.

Planting and picking have become so pleasant, now the table systems have been introduced, that older long-term workers, who only liked working in the packhouse, have now wanted to go back into the field.  In turn this has meant a huge reduction in staff turnover.  Training new staff is seen as a large cost, so the ROI on this alone needs to be calculated.  And how do you calculate for happy staff?

 

An external strawberry consultant is used, even though both Laura and Dave are generally in front of the advice they receive they still believe that to be very important to always have that outside independent opinion to make sure nothing is missed. 

 

The runoff from the bags is left to drain on to the ground.  The entire farm is mowed and manicured beautifully.  This has actually preserved job,s as the efficiency of the table systems has decreased the labour hours needed growing on the ground.  However, automation of mowing the land is being looked at.  The grass grown is seen to be using any excess fertiliser to prevent it leeching into the soil.  The view at sunset was breath-taking.  Nathan Hewson MD Hydroponic Solutionz NZ (middle) also attended the farm tours and enjoyed the experience.  

 

https://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/agribusiness/farmer-of-the-year/taste-n-see-strawberries-schiffke-and-stothart-families-from-bellmere-farm-for-the-future/news-story/54b6f889669ff46cfed39cb25e733b43

 

I appreciate your comments.  Please feel free to comment below or on the grower2grower Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/StefanGrower2grower/

Article Written by Stefan Vogrincic, Consultant, Grower2Grower

Article Edited by Marie Vogrincic, Editor, Grower2Grower

Categories
Greenhouse News

Jongwe Greenhouses New Installation

PCA Northern Farm Tours

 

Last week, on the final day of the PCA (Protected Cropping Australia) conference, delegates were given the opportunity to complete farm visits around the surrounding area of Brisbane.  All three of the farm visits, on the Northern tour, I attended were magnificent and definitely worth the time to go and experience.  The hospitality and information shared was nothing less than superb.

Jongwe Inc. (trading as Bunya Fresh) have just planted their brand new 4 (plus 4.4 Ha on another site close by) Ha high-tech plastic greenhouse situated on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, not far from one of my favourite Queensland destinations- Noosa.  Construction began in August last year.

Julian Long is the owner of Bunya Fresh and his children are involved with the busines, with one of the son’s the head grower.  The property has recently been commissioned and the plants had been delivered a few weeks ago from the propagator.

Below is a link with the specs of the greenhouse:

https://www.aisgreenworks.com.au/portfolio-items/bunya-fresh/

 

Check out my photos and comments below:

This greenhouse, supplied by the Richel Group (hyperlink) in conjunction with assistance from Apex Greenhouses Australia, is an impressive greenhouse purpose built for the local conditions.

 

Heat storage and water holding tanks.

 

The property is serviced by a gas boiler which is approximately 5 meg.  Half of the Co2 needs, for the property, are provided from the boiler and the other half will be from liquid Co2. 

 

Above are four of the eight LP Gas tanks on site.

 

The span of the greenhouse is 12.8 m and is very high to the continuous ridge ventilation.  There is also an energy screen.

 

The hanging gutters are stock standard with the irrigation drip system and a slightly visible purple Co2 line also attached under the gutter.  The layering hoops were novel and a good way to keep the stems out of the way but not sure how these will work at pull out.  You may also notice fans below this gutter in the distance.

 

The turn around hoops at the end of each row area a good practical design.

 

It was pleasing to see that the plants had already been layered.  This is an excellent idea to have this done as soon as possible after the plants have rooted in sufficiently.  This company is growing a cherry tomato.  This crop will be a short crop of seven months so it has not been grafted.  They have opted to have two plants per block with both plugs in a single hole 150×100 propagation block. 

 

A brand-new grading machine was being built in the packhouse ready for the first produce in around 4 weeks.  The service area was a great size with plenty of storage area.

 

Special thanks to Saskia Blanch and the Greenworks team for the introduction at Jongwe.

 

And thanks to Area Sales Manager Julian Fitte, from the Richel Group, for information regarding this build. 

 

I appreciate your comments.  Please feel free to comment below or on the grower2grower Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/StefanGrower2grower/

Article Written by Stefan Vogrincic, Consultant, Grower2Grower

Article Edited by Marie Vogrincic, Editor, Grower2Grower

Categories
Events/Announcements

Fieldays Report

The Land Grab

 

This year I attended Fieldays at Mystery Creek, on the outskirts of Hamilton, New Zealand.  I was in the Bank of New Zealand (BNZ) tent as one of their partners.  This may not seem a tremendously big deal but in fact I think it is.  The greenhouse or protected cropping industry is on the radar and is starting to be seen as a growth industry.  I already believe it is. There is enormous possibilities and potential for this industry to follow in the footsteps of our Dutch and Belgium counterparts.  Now, my enthusiasm needs to be tempered, I know anything can be grown in a greenhouse but first there has to be a viable economic business case.  For example, would we grow carrots in a commercial greenhouse, probably not at this point of time.   

 

Dairy:

The conversations I had with dairy farmers were particularly interesting. Being inquisitive I was interested in the general opinions of the farmers, who appeared subdued this Fieldays.  The general consensus, I picked up from them, was they are tired of constantly facing a barrage from the media about ‘polluting the earth single handily’.  As one farmer said “it is very few farmers tarnishing us, but most of us are responsible farmers” On top of that they have been informed they need to reduce, or not increase, their level of debt after several years of fairly average returns and ever-increasing tightening of Reserve Bank policy/regulations.   Two separate farmers told me they couldn’t borrow more money to purchase cows. It’s going to be hard for them to make money if they don’t have cows to milk.  No wonder tractor sales were down.   However, it is not all doom and gloom but a process the dairy industry has to work through, these farmers are resilient and are still the back bone of the economy.  As I heard, on more than one occasion, if there was to be an outbreak of foot and mouth then certainly this country’s economy would have some very large hurdles to overcome.  In other words, these guys are significantly important. 

 

Horticulture and Forestry:

Despite the issues for dairy farmers there was positivity from other sectors. The outdoor horticulture industry is growing fast (How much more good land do we need for kiwifruit, avocado, apples, pears, onions, potatoes, kumara, squash, sweetcorn, carrots, leeks, blueberries, strawberries, oranges, blackberries, feijoa, watermelons, wheat, should I keep going?).  If you read the following article link https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/392787/will-climate-change-bring-banana-crops-to-nz It states that from the 16 million hectares farmed in this country that 120,000 hectares is in crops.  What it doesn’t say is what type of land is being used for each.    Forestry is on the rise, thanks to the billion trees programme, and if you divide one billion trees by 1400 trees per hectare, the highest recommended planting rate, you come up with a rather large figure!   You do the math.  Milking goats and sheep is becoming more popular.   The threat to the dairy industry is not being able to maintain production, they have an expectation of how much milk they process and can therefore guarantee supply and volume to their markets.

I spent some time talking with representatives of the Manuka honey industry, they are looking for land to plant new plantations of Manuka trees!  So, in all honesty I believe the dairy, sheep and beef industry is coming under pressure from competition for pastural land for alternate animal use, horticulture, viticulture, forestry, honey etc, the list continues and so does the land grab.  You can bet your bottom dollar the large Dairy Corporations and Dairy NZ as well as meat suppliers are well aware of this.

 

Protected Cropping: (Greenhouse’s)

A piece of commentary that resonated with me at Fieldays, depicted that in the 70’s and 80’s farming industries were producing products the world didn’t really want.   International markets would take our products but for low returns, fast forward 40 years, and now NZ produced primary products are amongst the most desirable, highly sort after in the world.  What is apparent is NZ has what other countries don’t have, which is lots of water and a good climate, which gives us our competitive growing advantage. The disadvantage is the distance.  With all the potential growth in our horticulture industry we must be mindful that the world is intensifying the production of their own industries by using protected cropping.  This is why I see such an important role in NZ for the continued growth of our very own protected cropping industry and bringing crops into structures that will both increase production, from less area, use water storage and irrigation much more efficiently and use our untapped heating resources, geothermal, bio fuels (cows) and woodchip.  In fact I believe that we need to understand how best we could work with the Dairy industry to sustain their market size and help make farmers more profitable with alternate land use including greenhouse diversification that does not use huge amounts of land. 

I had discussion with a company who supply herd homes/feed pad systems for cows where the effluent is collected and used for fertiliser.  There was a lot of crap collected and I’m thinking a lot of methane going to waste.  I asked if it was possible for cows to be kept indoors permanently to collect 100% of the effluent. However, it was pointed out to me that animal activists would think this is cruel and that a happy cow is one that chooses to live outside.  I beg to differ or offer a different opinion in that perhaps we let the animal decide. I know if I was a cow I would want to be inside in the winter and outside on nice spring and autumn days and possibly in a nice air-conditioned space during those hot summer days.   The idea is to collect as much effluent as possible and not have the cows pooing outside and to INCREASE milk production.  I know from growing up on a dairy farm that cows, that are cold and wet, use more energy and produce less milk on those days then when it is warmer.  Basically, keep a cow warm make it walk less and it will produce more.  By reducing cows pugging paddocks then grass growth and recovery is also going to be better resulting in higher silage and hay production per ha.   Some farmers have land that only animals can graze and not tractors but that’s their disadvantage.  Goat farmers are already housing goats and only using machinery to collect their greens!

 

Eye opener:

I was informed of a stand displaying bio-digesters which were turning methane into electricity.  It is already happening in Australia.  The German company would not be at Fieldays if they did not think there were possible opportunities for this in NZ.   One greenhouse grower in NZ already uses a green waste landfill to heat over four hectares of greenhouse, using methane produced from the green waste, this gives that grower a huge competitive advantage.  Energy is a big cost and drawback for many growers but if you have an untapped resource that can produce, Electricity, CO2, Heating and with the use of Cogeneration boilers, then I say to the farmers start the discussion around its potential and possibilities.

 

Economy:

The message was our growth is slowing but still positive at plus 2%, and unless there are major events in the world we are in a good spot.  Labour availability is an ongoing issue, therefore robotics and new technology advancements will definitely become more appealing and necessary.  Especially if we need to harvest 2 or 3 times more Kiwifruit each year!  This will create high valued employment and skills.

 

Sustainability

Sustainability is about being smart and using our current resources to produce competitive profitable food which will increase this countries prosperity.  The greenhouse industry, which I unreservedly continue to promote (not just because it is my work and passion) can make the best case for the most sustainable of growing environments.  Which must be taken seriously. 

 

 My advice, let’s work together.

 

Check out these related links below.

https://www.forestenterprises.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/GuidetoForestry.pdf

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/392787/will-climate-change-bring-banana-crops-to-nz

 

Tony Alexander – BNZ Chief Economist kept the public updated throughout the Fieldays with his view on the current state of the economy. 

 

Great to see Horticulture being promoted.  

 

 

I appreciate your comments.  Please feel free to comment below or on the grower2grower Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/StefanGrower2grower/

Article Written by Stefan Vogrincic, Consultant, Grower2Grower

Article Edited by Marie Vogrincic, Editor, Grower2Grower

Categories
Events/Announcements

Fieldays Focus

Managing natural resources wisely

 

Fieldays is back again and with so many changes on the horizon for farmers, our Associate Director of Natural Capital Agribusiness, Dana Muir shares her perspective on the future of agribusiness in New Zealand.

At BNZ, we know it’s the harnessing of natural resources that producers have always been intimately attuned to. Consumers are demanding more environmentally friendly, natural and nutritious food.

Change is afoot, and we feel privileged to work with our customers to take farms to the next level of efficiency, health and profitability.

This is why we’ve established the BNZ Natural Capital Team, who are dedicated to helping producers enhance the management of their natural resources, ensuring a direct and positive impact on the future quality of their land and produce.

 

 

People and points of view

Last year, we asked our agribusiness customers a series of questions to capture their thinking on four specific forces impacting agribusinesses at present: agricultural technology, environmental policy, consumer trends and producer mindsets.

The outcome was a report about the future of agribusiness called Shift Happens. When discussing environmental management, we found more than 85 per cent are moderately or highly concerned about the impact that policy changes will have on their profitability and operational ability in the next five years.

Producers also recognised the growing importance of being able to offer sustainably produced goods.

 

Maximising the potential of natural resources

The term ‘natural capital’ refers to the value on-farm natural resources provide. Often the value of natural resources is not obvious, but we know instinctively that by planting more trees we are helping to build biodiversity and climate health; by better managing our soil quality we can grow higher quality food; by protecting our waterways we are able to enhance the quality of New Zealand water.

A standout example of an Agribusiness customer that is doing this well is Momona Farm.  They’re using advanced farm planning and land use capability tools to map their entire property, assist with sustainability and maximise profitability.

 

 

Now, streamlined farming systems make the farm and its environmentally sensitive areas, much easier to manage.

 

Keeping pace with change

We’re consistently impressed with how many of our agribusiness customers already manage their natural resources in a way that is best-practice. We also know that there are some producers who are struggling to determine the best way forward.

We work with industry experts to bring our producers up-to-date and share straightforward advice and resources to help guide their planning process. Improvements to livestock genetics, agri technology, soil management, and traceability are helping lift the efficiency and value of New Zealand primary products, while aiding environmental management.

 

Planning for the future

In each region, a BNZ Natural Capital specialist will be working alongside producers, policy makers and industry to support the future of agribusinesses through more efficient use of natural resources.

What does success look like? To us, it’s the producer you meet in 50 years’ time, telling you about the great work done by past generations which has enabled them, and future generations, to produce quality food for the world to enjoy.

If you’re interested in having a chat about natural capital, get in touch with a BNZ agribusiness specialist on 0800 273 916

Article supplied by Dana Muir, BNZ, Associate Director – Natural Capital 

 

Categories
Events/Announcements Greenhouse News

Grower2Grower Breakfast, held at BNZ, Pukekohe

New Breeding Developments

 

Thanks to the BNZ, in Pukekohe, Grower2Grower has held its second successful grower breakfast this season.  Thanks to Paula OHanlon, from BASF vegetable seeds, it presented growers with the opportunity to have a technical presentation from Dutch greenhouse specialist Harm Ammerlaan.

Harm Ammerlaan is based in The Netherlands, he works for the Vegetable Seeds division of BASF, also known as Nunhems. As the son of a tomato grower, living in the Westland area, horticulture has always played a major role in his personal and professional life. The passion to deliver a healthy food offering, to a growing population, runs through his veins. 

Harm’s presentation was on precision breeding for the 21st century. It highlighted the key focus areas, for BASF Vegetable Seeds, within a fast-changing global horticultural landscape. The presentation addressed future market and consumer trends, and highlighted solutions that BASF is providing to its customers.

Nunhems is approaching the future by engaging with the needs of growers and the end consumer.  Taste is now an important aspect when considering new cultivars.  The company is focused on delivering healthy solutions.

 

Consumer Trends: Consumers have constantly moving demands.

Todays consumers make it necessary to distinguish the link between bulk and added value products.  They are looking at healthy natural choices, sutstainably farmed products, convenience, taste and purchasing local supply.  On line shopping and ready to make meals with ingredients and recipes delivered to your door are growing trends.

 

Cucumbers:

The cucumber varieties, sold by Nunhem’s, are for low to high tech greenhouses.  The high-tech market is moving more and more towards high wire cultivation in Holland.  Harm believes that the extra production, of high wire systems, will out way any increase in labour cost from the extra pieces picked per plant. 

 

Traditional growing systems:

  1. Main stem and lateral production
  2. Many cucumbers maturing at the same time
  3. Variable fruit quality
  4. Big leaves
  5. Dense, unarranged crop.

High Wire growing system:

  1. 100% main stem production
  2. Planning of labour and production
  3. Significant higher yield (+25%)
  4. Specific pruning system
  5. Uniform and high-quality fruits
  6. Open, clear arranged crops

New varieties like Hi Light and Hi Pace are seen as the new generation in cucumber cultivars. 

Powdery mildew resistance is also very important when breeding and supplying new products into the market.

 

Tomatoes:

Nunhems also have developed a tomato that can be used in all forms of cooking and eating scenarios.  The variety known as ‘Intense’ is very fleshy, compared to regular varieties, and it will not make your sandwich go soggy!

 

NEW DEVELOPMENTS:

Future crops Nunhems is currently developing is a smaller than traditional watermelons.  It is in the early phases of developments and looks promising.  It is currently being trialled at one of Nunhems greenhouse’s in the Netherlands. 

Question:

Harm was asked what the global trends are with greenhouse horticulture, his response was he believes that more and more growers are moving indoors. 

 

BNZ Update:

Peter Butler gave a brief update on interest rates and a very insightful overview of the economy.  Main Point: Exporting is going well and the $ vs. our main trading partners is forecast to be stable which is a good sign for exporters.  

 

PCA Conference:

If you missed Harms presentation at the Grower2Grower breakfast he will be giving this presentation at the PCA (Protected Cropping Australia) conference on the Gold Coast on Tuesday the 9th of July.

Harm showed us images of the new Nunhem glasshouse infrastructure  being built in Holland.  Very impressive.  

Thanks to all of the growers who attended.  

 

For any further information on this article please contact:

 

Paula OHanlon
Market Development Vegetable Seeds

Mobile: +64 (0) 21 731 009,

Email: paula.ohanlon@vegetableseeds.basf.com

 

OR

 

Peter Butler (BNZ)

Partner – Agribusiness

Pukekohe

DDI: +64 9 9048670

M: +64 21 2423600

E: Peter_Butler@bnz.co.nz

 

 

 

I appreciate your comments.  Please feel free to comment below or on the grower2grower Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/StefanGrower2grower/

Article Written by Stefan Vogrincic, Consultant, Grower2Grower

Article Edited by Marie Vogrincic, Editor, Grower2Grower

Categories
Events/Announcements

PCA Conference Review

Trip to the Gold Coast

 

Next week I’ll be attending the Protected Cropping Australia conference in the Gold Coast.  There are a number of very interesting sessions which I’m extremely excited about.  My only concern is several sessions are running concurrently, and I won’t be able to attend those that are on at the same time.   I am spoilt for choice.  On the first day there is a masterclass on growing Medicinal Cannabis, which I will be wring an article on.   Nearly a full day has been dedicated to this subject in one of the conference rooms. 

Roelf Schreuder, from NZ Gourmet, will be presenting on LED lighting.  I will definitely write an article on this, as it is nearly one year on from last years Mokai open day.  It will be great to see the possibilities the LED’s offer for growers.

 

“We are anticipating 500 + delegates to attend and the event will include many of the key decision makers from the industry. The greenhouse industry covers a wide sector of horticulture from fruit, vegetables, cut flowers, nursery, leafy greens, aquaponics and marijuana industries. It is valued at more than $1.6 billion per year. PCA is the peak industry body representing commercial hydroponic and greenhouse growers Australia wide as well as having a wide international following. 

PCA members also include equipment and installation suppliers, specialist consultants and advisors, researchers and educators. PCA has had an enviable track report of hosting well attended conferences since 1990. For our 2019 conference our theme will be: Seduction by Technology, Knowledge Exchange for Greenhouse Growers.”

Nicky Mann

Chair, Protected Cropping

 

Conference Topics:

  1. Medical Cannabis

  2. Pollination Training and Education

  3. Lighting

  4. High Tech how-to-grow

  5. Low Tech how-to-grow

  6. New Trends in Consumer Shopping

  7. Vertical Farming

  8. Fresh produce contamination

  9. Berries

  10. Glowering strategies using data from climate control systems

  11. Robotics

  12. Nutrition

  13. Climate Control

  14. Irrigation

  15. Labour management solutions

 

There are masterclasses on Medicinal Cannabis, Pollination, and Integrated Pest Management. Some of the world's leading technology and production experts will share tips and tricks with delegates.

Check out the programme:

https://aomevents.eventsair.com/protected-cropping-australia-national-conference-2019-pca/

 

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Categories
Greenhouse News

Tomato prices low

Why Is This?

 

I received a call last week from a grower asking my thoughts on the low price for loose round and cherry tomatoes at present.  At this time of the year, when production is typically low, prices are generally double the price they’ve achieved in the past three to four weeks.

 

I am not aware of any imports around, but it is a possibility, although I doubt that tomatoes could be imported for less than the price our growers are currently achieving per KG.  If the low price is because of imported product they would’ve most probably been ordered in advance due to previous year’s production flows and historical prices.   The only positive is that consumers can enjoy high quality NZ grown tomatoes at a low price.

 

The mild weather has possibly played its part in increased production.  The overall temperature, especially at night, in May was great for growers who don’t heat.  These growers use very minimal inputs and should be achieving much higher volumes than in previous seasons.  However, last night (25/6) we finally had a heavy frost with more in the forecast (It is just as well I had Barney the pet lamb inside!) Last week I visited a property which has minimal heating that comes on at 6 degrees.   The fruit, on the plant, was of impeccable quality and, even though the heads had just been removed, the set was flawless.  The size, shape and colour were near to perfect.   It is not something I would expect to see on the shortest day. 

 

Low heat input tomatos picture taken around shortest day.  Heads just pinched.  Nomally, seting flowers/fruit in May is very difficult for crops with little or no heating.  Not this crop!

 

I have noticed, probably due to the very low prices, growers are limiting the amount they pick and leaving fruit on the plant longer. Most probably in the hope prices will increase the following weeks. I’m unsure about this, as it slows the plant down, at this time of the year you want as little fruit on the plant as possible.  If you have not carried the correct fruit load for the amount of light, the setting of fruit right now will be poor, and the amount you will pick in August will be reduced so you could might miss out twice. 

 

Another noticeable effect, of the warmer weather, is the amount of whitefly and the number of psyllid yellows I have come across in the past few weeks.  Caterpillars also, are still damaging crops.

 

In contrast to recent prices, March was quite the opposite with fantastic returns during a highly productive period.  I can only theorise why prices are low currently, but I do believe warm weather may have contributed.  I hope returns for growers increase, it is a calculated risk to grow through the winter during historically low productive months.    Unless you have set contracts, for supply, at fixed prices it will always be out of our hands. 

 

First decent frost for Auckland 25/6/2019

 

 

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Article Written by Stefan Vogrincic, Consultant, Grower2Grower

Article Edited by Marie Vogrincic, Editor, Grower2Grower

Categories
Integrated Pest Management Technical

Winter Whitefly

Populations are slowly coming under control

With mild temperatures in May the level of whitefly has been irritatingly persistent. Winter is now upon us, so growers should be on top of the whitefly in order to get effective control from beneficial insects (Encarsia) and bug roll to reduce the need for biological and chemical spraying for the next three months.  

I always liked using the bug roll on my high wire trolleys so when the staff are performing any job from layering, arching, clipping, twisting or dropping there is a better chance of catching the pests.  Whitefly, when disturbed, are much more likely to fly and land on the yellow, sticky trap.   You have a much better chance of catching adult whitefly if your roll is constantly refreshed (every two or three hours).  The yellow sticky trap works well if you have minimal numbers of whitefly per plant.   Over the years I have witnessed bug roll in the top of the canopy running the length of each individual row.    Apart from the additional cost of labour, of this exercise there is a large financial capital investment needed to purchase this product.  Depending on the width of the roll it is another plant shading obstacle.  For the first week it might work well but personally I don’t believe it is a long-term solution for the sustainable control of whitefly.

Using sticky traps is advised at the entry/exit doors in greenhouses.   This is generally where the highest population of whitefly is present.  Reducing whitefly at doors will go a long way to reducing the establishment of whitefly populations.

Contact your local Horticentre branch for a Winter deal on Bug Scan Rolls

For now, if you are on top of the whitefly populations  I would consider a combination of beneficial insects and the strategic use of bug roll throughout the winter months.   If you can reduce your spraying by half, through use of this product, it is a real benefit to plant health.  However, if you still have whitefly, you can spray with products which are less harmful to adult Encarsia.  No spray is totally safe, for Encarsia, as even plain water could be harmful.  Talk to your local supplier about the options available. 

 

Check out this video.

 

This (dead) whitefly on the fruit was next to the main door of a crop I recently visited.  The populations of whitefly, at this particular property, were 90-95% less than last year due to targeted and effective control methods.  However, by the door there was still a huge population.  This is why it is so important to keep your doors shut as much as possible, and use liberal amounts of bug roll in these hot spots.

 

Cover photo taken South of Auckland in early June 2019

 

Monitoring insect pests using blue and yellow sticky cards is a great for flower and vegetable growers to identify potential new threats.

 

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Article Written by Stefan Vogrincic, Consultant, Grower2Grower

Article Edited by Marie Vogrincic, Editor, Grower2Grower

Categories
Technical

Black spots collapsing fruit post-harvest

Sunken water-soaked area on the outside of the tomato

Last week I had an enquiry regarding the blackspots appearing on fruit post-harvest.  This is nothing new, I’ve had this happen to me on several occasions during twenty years of growing. Quite often, when you are picking the fruit, it is not visible, it’s not until 24 to 48 hours post-harvest that it starts to become noticeable.  It is very frustrating to receive a phone call, from the markets, to say your fruit is collapsing.  I believe the photo, above, to be Anthracnose, it is hard to be 100% certain without it being sent to a laboratory for analysis and confirmation.

Two weeks ago I came across Blight for the first time in a while. It is no surprise that now, with the poor weather we are being belted with, fungus issues are appearing.  It has cooled down but humidity is high and even growers, with the best heating systems, can fall foul to all types of fungal infections.  Left untreated, these brown Anthracnose type spots, on the fruit will more than likely continue to cause issues.  

Cover Photo: The fruit collapsing from the brown fungal spots

 

Most experienced growers will have come across this at some point in time, and like me, would’ve sourced a recommended fungicide from their local horticulture supplier.  Which, in my experience has done the trick each time.  Now new products, like HuwaSan, are available and on the market, these can be used as a post-harvest treatment.

Having these options for growers is hugely beneficial.  Please ensure you get all the information, regarding application, from the supplier before applying to your crops pre or post-harvest.

 

For more information on HuwaSan Contact:

Grant Beare

M – 021 020 08040

E – grant@educhem.co.nz

 

 

 

 

I appreciate your comments.  Please feel free to comment below or on the grower2grower Facebook page:

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Article Written by Stefan Vogrincic, Consultant, Grower2Grower

Article Edited by Marie Vogrincic, Editor, Grower2Grower