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THECOMMERCIALGREENHOUSEGROWER • FEBRUARY 2017
Aquaponics set-upwith
tomatoes tested in Europe
Adjudicator’s codemust be
extended to include ornamentals
AEuropean project due tobe completed at the endof this year
is demonstrating the technical and economic feasibility of a
new approach to aquaponics – combining tomatoproduction
with fish farming – at demonstration units constructed in three
European countries and inChina. The idea behind the project
is to show the system’s lowwater and carbon footprint and
that it couldbe implemented at any scale.
In the new set-up, water holding the fish and that used for the
crop are kept separate unlike in conventional aquaponics
where the fish andplants share the samewater. This so-called
‘double recirculation’ means environmental conditions for both
fish and crop are optimised independently from each other,
which increases the productivity of each. Thewater from the
fish tanks passes through two filters – one to remove solid
particles and a biofilter to convert ammonium excretedby the
fish into nitrate that the crop can use – before being collected
andpumped into the crop.
Thewater transpiredby the plants in the glasshouse is
collected and returned to the fish tanks tominimise the need
for freshwater.
Tilapia, catfish andpike perch are beingproduced in the
European demonstration unitswhile inChina, the cropping has
included herbs and lettuce aswell as tomatoes.
The project, ‘Innovative aquaponics for professional
applications’, or INAPRO, has a total budget equivalent to £8
million, towhich theEC has contributed£5.2million. It builds
on original work fundedby theGerman government.
A similar approach is already being taken byBelgian tomato
growers TomatoMasters near Ghent who co-operatewith
neighbouring fish farmAqua4C. The fish farm receives
rainwater collected from the nursery’s glasshouse roofs and the
nurserymakes use of the fish farm’s nutrient-rich ‘used’ water,
reducing its demand for bought-in nutrients and cutting the
volume of water that the fish farmwould have todispose of.
Thewater in the fish tanks is also heated, and the pumps
powered, by the nursery’s combined heat andpower system.
One of two INAPRO sites inGermanywhere anew set-up
featuringaquaponics is beingdemonstrated. Pictureby
AndreasMüller.
Sustainability, risk
management and volatility
management must be the
food supply chain’s core
principles for British farming
businesses to thrive,
according to the NFU’s
horticultural adviser, Amy
Grant.
She was speaking after the
end of a consultation period
where the Government ask
for evidence to back up a
proposal to possibly extend
the Grocery Code
Adjudicator’s remit to include
ornamental horticulture in
the future. “One of our four
asks is for the remit to be
extended to include
ornamental plant production.
It is important that growers
of ornamental plants and
flowers are afforded the
same protection as growers
of edible crops when it
comes to tradingwith their
large retail customers,” she
said.
An imbalance of buying
power in the supply chain,
and unfair trading practices
(UTPs) of intermediaries lead
to smaller parties, such as
British farmers and growers,
losing out. We already see
buying power in the UK retail
sector managed by the
GSCOP and the adjudicator
but UTPs exert a negative
impact to British primary
producers,” she added.
As part of the statutory
adjudicator review the
Department for Business,
Energy & Industrial Strategy
and Defra have completed a
call for evidence about the
issues faced by primary
producers.
NFU food chain adviser
ChristineMcDowell said:
“The NFU recognises the
success of the GSCOP and
the adjudicator in changing
cultural behaviours of
retailers with their direct
suppliers. The adjudicator’s
survey results in 2016
showed the progress
retailers aremaking in
instilling the principles of fair
dealing in their buying
functions. The proportion of
suppliers with issues fell
from 70 per cent in 2015 to
62 per cent in 2016, with
Tesco and Iceland reported
asmost improved.” The
British Protected
Ornamentals Association
(BPOA) has surveyed
members withmixed results
andmade a submission.
Chairman Simon Davenport
said: “The BPOA believes
that the work of the
adjudicator has been
effective in improving the
running of edibles grocery
trading and can be helpful
for the, similarly perishable,
ornamentals trade. NFU has
alreadymade a substantial
submission and BPOA
would support the points
made.
Germany breeding company
Brandkamp have extended
their range of pot- and cut-
chrysanthemums for 2017.
The popular uniform
growing variety Pretty
Pembas has increased its
colour range with Pemba
Yellow and Pemba Apricot,
so now offering a choice of
eight colours.
Also there are twomore
breedings in the range of
the Island-Pot-Mums. Vido
Red andCayman (orange)
with the same response
time and ideal as they fit
perfectly in the product line.
Cut- and Pot-
Chrysanthemums
