Innovations for Horticulture 4.0

In the first week of December the global fresh produce industry and its information management- and ICT partners, will meet again in Rotterdam for the second EU Fresh Info Forum & Round Tables. Already at the launch event in 2014, the fresh produce industry called its partners to prepare new solutions for the industry the get them ready for an information driven Horticulture 4.0.

"The fourth industry revolution is changing all businesses including fresh produce. Internet-of-of-things, BIGdata, Sensoring, Robots, Drones, Vision, RFID, etc. are giving great opportunities for a change of the industry for a next generation of fresh produce cultivation and trade. But do we get the highest added value out of the new technology for our supply chain?" stated H. Schmeitz, Program-manager FrugICom and Vice-Chair of the International Federation for Produce Standards.

To see where the industry who supplies stands and to get interaction between demand and supply during the 2e EU FRESH INFO Forum & Roundtables a Solutions Challenge is organised. Here (start-up) companies with new, innovative solutions can show them to the industry. Solutions can be software (all kinds of), hardware (f.i. drones, sensors) and all combinations. They can be used all areas of fresh produce such as propagation, cultivation, trade, logistics, quality management, sales and marketing.

The Solutions is a contest judged by young Dutch entrepeneurs in trade and cultivation. The Solutions will be judged on their value for the industry. And of course the innovation it brings in new ways of thinking in fresh produce. The top eight will be invited to come to the Roundtables and show their solution to the industry.

Companies who want to participate fill in the form at www.frugicom.nl/euforum and send it in before 1 October to steffens@frugicom.nl.

The second EU Fresh Info Forum & Round Table starts at 30 November, with an industry tour to the most sophisticated Dutch industry companies to see information(technology) in practice. The forum, with a focus on strategy, trends, disruptive developments and their impact on cultivation, trade and market, is on 1 December. On 2 December it’s time for in-depth sessions, roundtables, education and best practices. New is the ‘Horticulture 4.0 Solutions Challenge’ were start-up companies pitch their disruptive solutions for the industry with regards to cultivation, food safety, packaging, sorting, trade, marketing or logistics.

For more information, please visit: www.frugicom.nl/EUForum