How to improve the

production

of tomatoes in Maroc

Index

• Maroc 2009• Strong – Weak points• View to technical advantages• Improvement step by step• Different scenarios• Passive to active growing• Road map

Maroc 2009

• 5.000 ha tomatoes under plastic (Agadir) • Big scale companies, professional organisation

and management• Low cost, low tech focus• Production level tomatoes 250 - 300 ton/ha• First quality 60 - 65%• Growing in the soil• Excellent growing climate

Strength - Weakness

• Climate• Agri Centre infrastructure• Good design and

organisation of nurseries• Low cost level labour• Crop protection• Professionals with proven

production history

• Availability of water• Still growing in the soil• Production level per m²• Sensitive on climate• Sensitive on nematodes• High use of water,

chemicals and fertilizers per produced kg

Conditions for profitableinnovation & improvement

New methods of production must be:

• Economic feasable• Technical reliable and controlable• To the community and market environmental

sustainable methods and a clean product

Short vieuw to differentoptions to improve

• Substrate, irrigation, recirculation

• Greenhouse structures, light transmission

• Positioning of the plants• Heating + Ventilation• Cooling +

(de)humidification

Substrate, Irrigation,Recirculation

• Better crop management• Saving on fertilizers• Less sensitive for nematodes• Better control of fruit quality• Yearly costs € 2.- / m²

Benefits• Increase nett production 25%• Saving water 30% per kg /tom• Saving 30% fertilizers

Greenhouse structures light transmission

• Okt-March 1% light =1% production• Light transmission glass

greenhouse 70 - 75%• Light transmission modern plastic

greenhouse 60 - 65%• Light transmission average Agadir

greenhouse 45 - 50%• Only more efficient use of surface

gives 20% more production

Heating and controled

ventilation • Active management of the

greenhouse climate• Heating + controled ventilation

will give better control of plant load and higher winter production

• Better control on climate is better control on quality of plants and fruits

• Active growing gives better forecast and control on the production film and result

Cooling+dehumidification

• This is formula 1 growing with high investment and yield

• Greenhouse climate quality and production can be under control totally

• Year round production necessary for ROI

• This concept is worldwide the new rising trend

Comparisation of differentgrowing concepts withGreenScheduler

Principles:

• Maroc climate circumstances• Variety Pristilla crafted on Maxifort• Planting begin August• First flowering begin September• First harvest begin November• Last harvest medio June

GreenScheduler calculates with:

cropdensity

fruit size

flower speed

global radiation

artificial light

Greenscheduler Input

Blue: is the lightcurve from Agadir Yellow: is desired light for the crop

The GreenScheduler

Crop density planning

Variety

Light conditions

Balance

Result

Load and production

Results of different growing concepts Type greenhouse

Brutto production

Percentage class 1

nett production

Increase nett production

Traditional 29 kg 60% 17.5 kg

Plastic + c.v + substrate

33 kg 75% 24.5 kg 40%

Glass + c.v +

substrate38 kg 75% 28.5 kg 60%

Glass, heat + cv + climate control

43 kg 85% 37 kg 110%

Cooled glass desert gh

86 kg 85% 73 kg 400%12 months

Production graphics

Glass with heating and ventilation 37kgGlass with ventilation 28,5kg

Traditional Agadir Plastic with ventilation 28,5kg

Production curveof the desert greenhouse

Light levels Netherlands versus Agadir

Radiation

0

500

1.000

1.500

2.000

2.500

41 46 51 4 9 14 19 24 29 34 39 44 49 2

week number

Radi

atio

n (J

/ cm

2/ d

ay)

0

500

1.000

1.500

2.000

2.500

global

usable

desired

1.800

With active crop management and good tools in Holland and USAgreenhouses produced100 kg/m²

The tomato producers of Agadir have a lot of advantages

Agadir 2009• Climate is excellent• Companies are

professional• Centre of tomato

producers• Strong competitor in the

tomato producers match• Production system is

passive and can be more efficient

Agadir to active growing• Better use of climate• More efficiency on :

water fertilizers chemicals surface

• Lower risk on diseases• Better fruit quality• Cleaner product• Stronger market position

Active management of the growing process can be very profitable

Radiation

CO2

Feeding

Water

(plant) temperature

humidity

There are differentscenarios to go from A to B

Road Map

• Inventarisation and study on reliable techniques

• Design of some alternative growing concepts

• Analyse of feasability, costs and yields of the designs

• Selection of most promising growing concepts

• Building a demo centre to test these concepts

• Implementation of new growing concepts and growing techniques to the Agadir producers

When will this giant wake up

Questions?

Thanks for your attention!

www.greenq.nl