Acquette SARL specializes in the production, packaging and marketing of onions under the “Ferme de l'Artois” brand. This year, the company has decided to invest in the technology developed by Ecorobotix in Switzerland for the localized treatment of weeds.
“We started the tests a month ago, so this is the first year of cultivation treated with this technology,” explains Christophe Dekerle. In practice, a small tank located at the front of the tractor spreads the treatment product over a width of 6 meters. The cameras (1 camera per meter) are designed to detect weeds and distinguish weeds from onions. A tablet located inside the tractor helps define the precise quantity to spray per hectare. “With the tests already carried out, we were able to observe a saving of up to 95% in phytosanitary products.”
Always on the lookout for the latest innovations, the company has also decided to take the plunge in order to meet its clients' demands for better environmental protection.
Reduction of phytosanitary products and limited loss in yield
This new technology helps “target weeds and reduce yield losses. With the traditional process, we treated the whole field, which could cause stress to the plants, leading to more losses in yields or precocity. It is also a way to compensate for the continuous suppression of authorized active ingredients and the lower efficiency of the alternatives.” For the moment, the differences in yield have not yet been quantified but other tests will be carried out this year.
Acquette SARL will start harvesting onions in June. The previous campaign was difficult in terms of volumes in France and in Europe, but the company will succeed in supplying French onions to all its clients and bridging the gap between the old and the new harvest.
For more information:
Acquette SARL – Ferme de l’Artois
11 Chemin des Anzacs,
62450 Bapaume, France
Phone: +33 3 21 07 00 36
contact@acquette.com
christophe.dekerle@acquette.com
fermedelartois.com