Thanks to a shift in consumer perception driving increased demand, Australian Fresh Leaf Herbs founder Jan Vydra has been able to grow his entire basil crop hydroponically for the first time. The move has meant that supply starts earlier in the year (September as compared to October or November for field grown), and quality and size are consistent for Mr Vydra’s customers, which include Australian supermarket chains. “When we started in 2009 we really struggled to sell hydroponic,” says Mr Vydra. “Over the last two years hydroponic produce is really in demand though. The basil leaves are now a little bit softer too.”
While there were some cooler weather events, rain and hail storms and cold snaps in 2014, the latest harvest has avoided similar ‘gaps’ in production that occurred then, and Mr Vydra says he is confident in complete consistency from his products at the moment. “Last year we started to get gaps in our production. It felt like we were continually problem solving. We’ve probably produced 50% to 60% more overall this year.”
Growing herbs always means getting the right balance of heat and light to enable the plants to flourish, and Mr Vydra says growing hydroponically supports this. Another area where research and development is well underway is the ‘cold chain management’ and preservation of shelf life. “We’re spending a lot of time figuring out shelf life management. There’s nothing worse than getting home and your basil has gone black in the fridge,” he adds.
The consistent supply means that the farm can turn out between 30 000 and 40 000 basil plants in one week, according to Mr Vydra. Mint, chives, oregano and coriander are the other main crops for Australian Fresh Leaf, and portions of them are also grown hydroponically. The total harvest for the farm is between five and six tonnes per week.
For more information contact
Jan Vydra
Australian Fresh Leaf Herbs Pty Ltd
Australian Fresh Leaf Herbs Pty Ltd
Phone: +61 3 9001 1655
E-mail: sales@freshleaf.com.au
Website: www.freshleaf.com.au