Teboza is accelerating the phase-out of activities related to the heated outdoor cultivation of white asparagus. With this step, the company aims to reduce the CO₂ emissions generated by heating. Teboza is the first major grower and supplier of fresh asparagus to take this initiative. The decision to speed up the reduction stems from Teboza's ambition to continue offering customers responsibly and cost-consciously grown asparagus.
Field heating
The heated cultivation of white asparagus involves the use of "field heating," a system of hoses placed just beneath the plants to keep the soil warm. Field heating ensures that asparagus plants emerge from winter dormancy earlier, allowing growers to reduce the crop's dependence on weather conditions.
© Teboza
In many cases, fossil fuels are used to heat the fields. Although Teboza has always sought to minimise its environmental impact even when using heated cultivation, a recently conducted impact analysis prompted the company to decide to discontinue this cultivation method sooner than planned. Will Teeuwen explains: "Increasing sustainability also means having the courage to make difficult choices. In this case, we are saying goodbye to an innovation that we ourselves helped pioneer. However, we believe this step is necessary to further strengthen the unique position of Dutch asparagus cultivation."
(Nearly) overtaken by innovations
"The period in which the relatively expensive heated cultivation stays ahead of traditional cultivation has been getting shorter for several years now," the company adds. "Innovations in asparagus varieties, new cultivation techniques, and changes in the climate mean that asparagus from unheated cultivation is becoming available earlier each year. Moreover, at the start of the season, there is now an increasingly strong supply of tasty and responsibly grown asparagus from southern Europe."
For more information:
Will Teeuwen
Teboza
Zandberg 14b
5988 NW Helden
Tel: +31 (0)77 307 1444
[email protected]
www.teboza.com
