During this second episode presenter Ed Smit and his guests Agricultural Counsellor Michiel van Erkel, Manish Jain of KF Bioplant, Robert de Bos of Bangalore Plants First and Uday Bhat of Koppert Biological Systems India will zoom in on some of the challenges in horticulture in India and how to tackle them. India is a huge country with huge cities and logistics that are not apt for perishables. This problem won’t be solved from one day to the other. What solutions can be thought of? Even more local for local? Private investment in closed cool chains? What can foreign parties (public or private) do to improve this? Another issue is that prices remain low. The top end market is supplied by imported produce. On the other hand, if high quality produce was available in India, a rapidly growing (local) market would be within reach and, in addition, export opportunities would become a reality to, with the Middle East as the promising, nearby market.
During these last episodes ’Jungle Talks to the World’ which will focus on horticultural developments in India. The country has all the potential to become a regional leader when it comes to the production of quality flowers and vegetables, but India is also conservative and entrepreneurs often traditional. Full potential has not been reached yet and will it, say in 5-10 years from now? Agricultural Counsellor Michiel van Erkel will present a general overview of the current horticultural sector in India. Afterwards, Manish Jain, CEO of KF Bioplant and KF Bioseeds will zoom in India’s flower production market and cooperation with foreign partners. Robert de Bos, Director at Bangalore Plants First has been giving technical assistance to Indian growers for more than 20 years. He’ll share his insights in how to bring local production skills to a higher level. Last but not least, Uday Bhat, Director of Koppert Biological Systems in India will update the audience on the use and implementation of biological crop protection and bio stimulants.
Presenter Ed Smit and his guests, Agricultural Counsellor Niek Schelling, Ad van Kester, operational director of Agrocare, Fouad Ababou, area sales manager at Hoogendoorn and Robert van der Lans, CEO of Horti XS, will discuss opportunities and challenges in Moroccan horticulture. Most producers in Morocco build cost effective greenhouses and produce their vegetables in the soil. Water comes from reservoirs, which are getting empty and rain is scarce throughout the year. The government therefore is pushing limitation of water use in the sector and special programs are being put in place. The future of Moroccan horticulture no doubt depends on becoming more sustainable, very fast. Not only by limiting water use, but also by implementing more biological pest control, recycling plastics and making use of renewable energy.
This episode and the next ‘Jungle Talks to the World’ puts the spotlight on horticultural developments in Morocco. The country is a leading producer of greenhouse vegetables, but also very susceptible to climate change. This makes that the horticultural sector is now dealing with a few major challenges of which the biggest is water. Ed Smit interviews Agricultural Counsellor Niek Schelling, Ad van Kester, operational director of Agrocare, Fouad Ababou, area sales manager at Hoogendoorn and Robert van der Lans, CEO of Horti XS to hear more about current developments in Moroccan horticulture.
Presenter Ed Smit and his guests, Agricultural Counsellor Marianne Vaes, Professor Sabine O’Hara, Marcel Boonekamp, Director of Growing at Green Circle Growers and Marco de Bruin, Board Member of Revol Greens, will talk about the opportunities and challenges in this huge country. Local for local is becoming mainstream, not just in terms of producing close to your market but sourcing, in all its forms, will also be done closer to home. Money makes the world go around. Especially in the USA. Horticulture has traditionally been financed by banks and from own capital. The past decade has seen major changes, both in ‘traditional’ horticulture as well as in indoor farms. Private equity has entered in many companies and creates opportunities for exponential growth.
Jungle Talks puts the spotlight on Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) in the United States of America. Through the eyes of Green Circle Growers, Revol Greens / Equilibrium, the University of the District of Colombia and of course the Dutch Agricultural Counsellor, we will discuss CEA in all its forms, from greenhouse horticulture to indoor / urban farming. Agricultural Counsellor Marianne Vaes will kick off with a short overview of the current developments. Professor Sabine O’Hara of the University of District of Columbia, the only University will explain what her program CAUSES is all about. Marcel Boonekamp of Green Circle Growers, the largest Phalaenopsis grower in the country, will dive in current trends and developments of the ornamental sector. And finally, Marco de Bruin of Revol Greens will share his thoughts on current and future business models with a focus on finance and autonomous growth.
On the occasion of the international agricultural fair Expo Agroalimentaria in Irapuato, Ed Smit is interviewing Agricultural Counsellor Erik Plaisier, Pharis Rico of Horticonnect, Pablo Ricaud of Rising Farms and Driscoll’s Mario Steta on the future of Mexican horticulture. What does the sector look like in 5 years from now? How are production companies organized, financed and how to they deal with resources such as water and energy?
During this session Ed Smit and his guests Agricultural Counsellor Martijn Weijtens, Antoine Lepilleur (Richel Group), Pierre-Yves Jestin (Saveol) and Brand Wagenaar (former Holimco), will talk about the opportunities and challenges in France while especially touching upon three different topics. Energy is a complex and determining issue in French horticulture. In addition, sustainability is high on the agenda, will this become an additional competitive advantage over imports from countries that put less emphasis on environmental issues? Labour is more expensive in France than in any other country in Europe. What does this imply for the future? French horticulture has great perspectives, but it will have to keep up with the speed of global developments. What needs to be done?
Jungle Talks to the World puts the focus on horticulture in ‘La Douce France’. France is a mayor force and influence when it comes to food production in Europe, but still imports about half of what it needs for consumption. However, local for local is important and consumers attach importance to products that are being made in France and value quality and taste. Also, vertical farming is hot, especially on the rooftops of big cities like Paris. We will discuss the latest trends in vegetable production and floriculture with four guests: Agricultural Counsellor Martijn Weijtens will present a general overview of the horticultural sector in France. Afterwards Antoine Lepilleur, CEO of Richel Group will explore developments in the greenhouse sector and also discuss a topic like co-generation. Pierre-Yves Jestin, president of cooperative Saveol will provide deeper insight in how vegetable production has developed over the years and the future of business structures and financing. Last but not least, Brand Wagenaar, founder and former owner of Holimco will share his knowledge and experiences in floriculture in France.
During this session Ed Smit will discuss with his guests Joost van Uum, the Dutch Agricultural Counsellor based in Jakarta, Sabine Poelman, his colleague based in Singapore and Peter Barber (Comcrop), Thomas de Ruiter (Agri Solutions Asia) and Vivek Jadhav (Precede), the opportunities and challenges when it comes to Controlled Environment Agriculture in city state Singapore. They will touch upon topics like energy, labour and sustainability in relation to 30/30, Singapore’s ambitious goal regarding the future of food.
City state Singapore is maybe not the first destination that comes to mind as a hotbed for horticultural innovations. However, its ambitious 30/30 plan: making sure that 30% of all fresh produce needed for its inhabitants is being produced within its borders by 2030, does put the spotlight on Controlled Environment Agriculture and all that is necessary and desirable to actually turn this ambition into reality. Agricultural Counsellor Joost van Uum (based in Jakarta) together with Agricultural Assistant Sabine Poelman (based in Singapore) will present a general overview of what is going on in Singapore today when it comes to Controlled Environment Agriculture, especially in the light of the 30/30 ambition. Afterwards, Peter Barber, CEO and co-owner of Comcrop will share experiences in rooftop farming. Thomas Ruiter is involved in more ‘traditional’ greenhouse production for Agri Solutions Asia, how does that work in city state Singapore? Lastly, Vivek Jadhav, CEO of Precede will tell the audience more about indoor farming and its future in Singapore.
During the international fair GreenTech in Amsterdam Jungle Talks, in close cooperation with Holland Horti Media and the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, recorded a podcast special on sustainability in horticulture and the future of food By 2050, the earth will have 2 billion extra inhabitants. At the same time, major parts of the world will face droughts and water shortages, which will highly impact regional food security. Greenhouses can play an important role in providing for this increasing demand for safe, healthy and sufficiently produced food. Greenhouse acreage is steadily increasing, but there are not enough growers to operate them. This problem will only increase in the coming years. Can smart, autonomous, steering algorithms provide solid solutions? Not only in developed markets, but all over the world? And how do we communicate the power of technology and innovation to the consumer? Are they ready for this new era in food production? How do we (re)connect to society? Presenter Ed Smit and co-host Frederik Vossenaar, special envoy at the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality discussed opportunities, new technologies and innovations with Ronald Hoek, CEO of Blue Radix and Art van Rijn, CEO of Artechno. Blue Radix Blue Radix creates automated intelligence for almost all daily decisions and actions in greenhouses. Greenhouses offer an efficient way to produce food and flowers in a sustainable manner. But the number of people with expertise of growing crops in greenhouses is declining every year. At the same time, energy management is increasing in complexity. We offer solutions for these worldwide challenges. Our algorithm based solutions offer growers a digital brain for their greenhouse and growers can optimize their greenhouse climate, reduce their water and energy usage and limit their operational risks and their ecological footprint. Artechno Artechno Growsystems is an engineering company engaged in the development and realization of modern hydroponic cultivation systems. Among the products we manufacture are robotics, irrigation systems, sowing solutions, harvesting lines and turnkey solutions for vertical farming and greenhouse hydroponics. It is our Mission to empower our customers in cultivation from start to finish, so they are able to integrate the entire cultivation process within their investment and be profitable.
Podcast special: Jungle Talks at the GreenTech! During the international fair GreenTech in Amsterdam Jungle Talks, in close cooperation with Holland Horti Media and the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, recorded a podcast special on sustainability in horticulture and the future of food By 2050, the earth will have 2 billion extra inhabitants. At the same time, major parts of the world will face droughts and water shortages, which will highly impact regional food security. Greenhouses can play an important role in providing for this increasing demand for safe, healthy and sufficiently produced food. Greenhouse acreage is steadily increasing, but there are not enough growers to operate them. This problem will only increase in the coming years. Can smart, autonomous, steering algorithms provide solid solutions? Not only in developed markets, but all over the world? And how do we communicate the power of technology and innovation to the consumer? Are they ready for this new era in food production? How do we (re)connect to society? Presenter Ed Smit and co-host Frederik Vossenaar, special envoy at the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality discussed opportunities, new technologies and innovations with Ronald Hoek, CEO of Blue Radix and Art van Rijn, CEO of Artechno. Blue Radix Blue Radix creates automated intelligence for almost all daily decisions and actions in greenhouses. Greenhouses offer an efficient way to produce food and flowers in a sustainable manner. But the number of people with expertise of growing crops in greenhouses is declining every year. At the same time, energy management is increasing in complexity. We offer solutions for these worldwide challenges. Our algorithm based solutions offer growers a digital brain for their greenhouse and growers can optimize their greenhouse climate, reduce their water and energy usage and limit their operational risks and their ecological footprint. Artechno Artechno Growsystems is an engineering company engaged in the development and realization of modern hydroponic cultivation systems. Among the products we manufacture are robotics, irrigation systems, sowing solutions, harvesting lines and turnkey solutions for vertical farming and greenhouse hydroponics. It is our Mission to empower our customers in cultivation from start to finish, so they are able to integrate the entire cultivation process within their investment and be profitable.
Podcast special: Jungle Talks at the GreenTech! During the international fair GreenTech in Amsterdam Jungle Talks, in close cooperation with Holland Horti Media and the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, recorded a podcast special on sustainability in horticulture and the future of food By 2050, the earth will have 2 billion extra inhabitants. At the same time, major parts of the world will face droughts and water shortages, which will highly impact regional food security. Greenhouses can play an important role in providing for this increasing demand for safe, healthy and sufficiently produced food. Greenhouse acreage is steadily increasing, but there are not enough growers to operate them. This problem will only increase in the coming years. Can smart, autonomous, steering algorithms provide solid solutions? Not only in developed markets, but all over the world? And how do we communicate the power of technology and innovation to the consumer? Are they ready for this new era in food production? How do we (re)connect to society? Presenter Ed Smit and co-host Frederik Vossenaar, special envoy at the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality discussed opportunities, new technologies and innovations with Ronald Hoek, CEO of Blue Radix and Art van Rijn, CEO of Artechno. Blue Radix Blue Radix creates automated intelligence for almost all daily decisions and actions in greenhouses. Greenhouses offer an efficient way to produce food and flowers in a sustainable manner. But the number of people with expertise of growing crops in greenhouses is declining every year. At the same time, energy management is increasing in complexity. We offer solutions for these worldwide challenges. Our algorithm based solutions offer growers a digital brain for their greenhouse and growers can optimize their greenhouse climate, reduce their water and energy usage and limit their operational risks and their ecological footprint. Artechno Artechno Growsystems is an engineering company engaged in the development and realization of modern hydroponic cultivation systems. Among the products we manufacture are robotics, irrigation systems, sowing solutions, harvesting lines and turnkey solutions for vertical farming and greenhouse hydroponics. It is our Mission to empower our customers in cultivation from start to finish, so they are able to integrate the entire cultivation process within their investment and be profitable.
During this session Ed Smit will discuss with his guests Henk Stigter, the Dutch Agricultural Counsellor based in Moscow, Konstantin Roslyakov, (RosAnalytics), Wim Steeghs (Signify) and John Elstgeest (Flower Circus) the opportunities and challenges in this huge country. They will discuss themes as innovation, sustainability and energy use and the future of the sector. There are still many challenges to tackle in Russia and government subsidies are declining, what will the sector look like in some 5 years from now?
Russia is the biggest country in the world and has developed itself into an influential horticultural player in recent years. Some of the most modern, vegetable producing greenhouses you find in Russia. In addition, you can buy the most beautiful roses in Moscow. People are willing to pay for quality. The government for long has been supporting the industry with lavish subsidies. Has this turned Russia into a global horticultural leader or will the country still need to depend on foreign knowledge and technology? Agricultural Counsellor Henk Stigter will present a general overview of what horticulture in Russia looks like today. Afterwards Konstatin Roslyakov, president of RosAnalytics will share his insights and experiences working in horticulture in the east of Russia, a truly up and coming region. Wim Steeghs, director of Eastern Europe of Signify, shines his light on the developments in high tech horticulture, especially energy. John Elstgeest, director of Flower Circus dives into Russian culture and shares what it takes to be successful in this enormous country.
During this session Ed Smit will discuss with his guests Maarten Wegen, the Dutch Agricultural Counsellor based in Ankara, Carl Zoeten (BeJo Seeds), Hakan Oztürk (Growlight) and Lars Korup (Queen) the opportunities and challenges regarding sustainability and energy use. In addition, labor and education deserve more attention. In Turkey, the horticultural sector competes with tourism. What can producers learn from touristic entrepreneurs in order to create attractive, stimulating and above all stable jobs?
The summer break is over and we’re ready for a new series of ‘’Jungle Talks to the World’’! We kick off with Turkey, a country famous for its strategic location and historically influenced by Europe as well as the Middle East and Asia. Horticulture in Turkey is big business, de sector comprises of some 65.000 ha of production in protected environments of which 2000 ha are modern greenhouses. Production is mostly concentrated near the coastal city of Antalya and here you also find the offices and production locations of suppliers of knowledge and technology and seed companies. Agricultural Counsellor Maarten Wegen will first give a general overview of the current situation and recent developments in Turkish horticulture. He will be followed by Carl Zoeten, breeding manager BeJo Seeds who will dive into the world of seeds and sustainability. Hakan Oztürk, representing Growlight, will literally shine his light on more technical issues such as lighting and irrigation. Last but now least, Lars Korup, COO of Queen Turkey will inform the audience in more detail on what is happening in floriculture in the country.
During this session Ed Smit will discuss with his guests Melle Leenstra, the Dutch Agricultural Counsellor based in Cairo, Gert-Jan Krook and Tarek El Said (Rijk Zwaan Egypt), Engy El Arnaouti (Bio Egypt) and Mohamed Elbassioni (Flora Mix Egypt), the opportunities and challenges regarding water usage, the newly implemented ‘organic law’ and of course how investors, importers or exporters of knowledge and technology can benefit most of the enormous domestic market and the opportunities this country, home to 104 million people, offers towards the export of horticultural products.
‘’Jungle Talks to the World’’ travels for the first time to North Africa. Following episodes on horticulture in Kenya, Ethiopia, South Africa and Uganda, the spotlight is now put on Egypt. Egypt is the land of pharaoh’s, the river Nile and deserts. The river Nile is the lifeblood of the country and birthplace of its unique, ancient civilization. Besides, it’s also the most important reason that the country is an important horticultural player in the region. . Melle Leenstra, the Dutch Agricultural Counsellor based in Cairo will discuss the recent developments in the horticultural sector in Egypt. Subsequently, Gert-Jan Krook and Tarek El Said (Rijk Zwaan Egypt), Engy El Arnaouti (Bio Egypt) and Mohamed Elbassioni (Flora Mix Egypt) will share more on the current situation and future outlook of the production of greenhouse vegetables and floricultural products.