Berry fruit is booming - and has been for several years. Accordingly, local cultivation is becoming increasingly important in order to combine the ubiquitous idea of regionalism with the superfood 'berry'. There are several ways to make growing easier and more productive for producers. With these solutions, however, one first has to gain a foothold and innovations on the German market often take a little longer, as Christian Kruse, the commercial director of Haygrove LLC, well knows: "Good things tend to take their time."
"It has to be said that it is difficult at the beginning to gain a foothold in Germany with most innovations, but if it over time the positive effect of these solutions becomes clear, then the reserve of the growers will disappear and the demand will increase." Patience is needed.
The trade fair team at last year's ExpoSE in Karlsruhe.
According to Kruse, the boom in berry fruit in particular has different influences on the market: "Due to the German people becoming more health-conscious and interested in regional food, the demand for soft fruit is increasing continuously. For Germany at first glance, of course, this is a positive development."
However, this growing demand is also a challenge, especially given the problem of staff shortages. "If there are not enough workers available during the season, it is difficult to meet the demand in time."
To counteract this as a grower, one has to come up with alternatives: One possibility is substrate systems. "The management of the substrate system is many times easier than planting in soil," says Kruse. "Substrate systems also have advantages for the working staff, and because the working height can be adjusted individually it is physically less burdensome for the workers, which can be an incentive to come back to picking every year."
In terms of sustainability and food security in the future, tunnels can also be important: "Culturing tunnels is of strategic importance to our planet, and as the world's population and demands increase, so does the demand for healthy, reliable and cost-effective food sources Haygrove believes that this can be achieved in advance and that food can also be grown regionally."
Haygrove film tunnels are designed to provide growers around the world with profitable, functional and sustainable solutions. "Our range of tunneling systems enables growers to increase their profits, improve quality, maximize crop areas, extend crop periods and offset production peaks. We can also customize our film tunnels to meet individual needs and specifications. We have the right film tunnel for each and every customer."
The company's booth at this year's InterAspa.
The systems and technologies enable growers to control the natural environment to maximize crop productivity and quality: "The crops are protected from extreme temperatures and humidity, as well as from wind, rain, snow, hail, frost and excessive sunlight. Films are available in a wide range of properties: from anti-dust, anti-drip, light-scattering, temperature-reducing, disease-reducing, harvest-delaying to longevity and high light transmission, the options offered by the choice of film are astounding and are evolving rapidly.
"The selection of shadow nets by mesh size and color for different cultivations and seasons is astonishing: We have a wide selection on offer and insect nets will become increasingly important in our defense against pests as these spread rapidly to new regions of the world, while the availability of chemical agents will decrease."
The expoSE trade fair has been an important starting point for Haygrove GmbH for many years: "We have been represented there for years and are always one of the highlights on the calendar every year, where we meet many of our customers and can further develop their personal contact. Through our show tunnel, interested parties can get an idea of what their tunnels could look like."
Visit Haygrove on November 20th and 21st in Karlsruhe: Hall 2-N24
For more information:
Christian Kruse
Haygrove GmbH
Industriestraße 20
26160 Bad Zwischenahn
T: +49 (0) 4403 602 62 51
M: christian.kruse@haygrove.co.uk
W: https://www.haygrove.com/