8
THECOMMERCIAL GREENHOUSEGROWER • MAY 2018
• NEWS
Hydroponics
A specialist hydroponics grower- H2O-ganics is to
build a newgreenhouse facility atMoultonCollege
inNorthamptonshire to showcase its innovative leafy
saladgrowing technology. Cornwall-basedH2O-ganics
has developed a technology toproduce cleangrown
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of hydroponic systemswith controlled environment
agriculture and clean-room technologies. Once
established, theproof-of-concept facilitywill be used
togrow a range of green salads andherbs for sale in
supermarkets. Chief executiveNickBateman said: “H2O-
ganics produce is not grown in soil but produced in a fully
controlled clean environment, which keeps out pests and
pathogens, whilemaintaining the optimum conditions for
plant growth. ”The unique combinationof technologies,
for whichwe have a technology patent pending, allows
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YV\Ud iU [Oe<2 ^i[O seJ\Ye s\WWl` JOaiU aUd eMfiJieU[
productionprocess, without the use of pesticides.”
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project gainplanning approval and is nowoptimising
thedesign andhelping to install lighting, ventilation and
other systems. Its director Niall McQuitty said: “Green leaf
coming fromothermarkets such asSpain can take up to
threedays frompicking topacking, whichmeans by the
time it’s in the shops, it has lost up to half its shelf life.
”Washing, drying,mixing, bagging and transport all
require carebecause the leaf is fragile andprone to
damage –which also reduces shelf life. H20-ganics
creates a high care environment inwhich togrow the leaf
that removesmost of these stages from theprocess. It
canbe harvested, cleaned andpackedwithout losing
quality, thereby increasing its shelf life.”H2O-ganic’s
system comprises a series ofmobilemulti-level trays
JiYJ\la[iUN^i[OiU a ¸IiV Oall¹ aU eUeYN` eMfiJieU[ JlVsed
greenhousewhichuses dual LED anddiffuse natural light.
Loading and unloading trays, irrigation anddrainage, light
levels, humidity, temperature andCO2 are all monitored
and adjusted.
BOOSTING
SALADCROPS
COMPETE
TM
PLUS
generates healthy
roots, better nutrient uptake and increased stress
resistance. Suitable for all growing systems.
TEC
TM
acarefullybalancedchelatedmicronutrient
blend for fertigation and hydroponics.
Complimentedby awide rangeof iron (EDTA,
DTPA, EDDHA) andother chelates.
Top quality speciality fertilisers
For the full story andmore, go to:
solufeed.com
Barnham,WestSussexPO220BT
01243 554090
For the full story andmore, g to:
soluf ed.co
Barnham,WestSussexPO220BT
01243 54090
Top quality speciality fertilizers
Solufeed, TEC and thewavy parallelogramdevice are trademarks of Solufeed Ltd.
Business rates equality
TheGovernment hasmade adecision that will mean
nursery growers are treated equally toother agricultural
businesses regardingbusiness rates, following a
campaignby theNFU. Rishi SunakMP,Minister for
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covered under the agricultural exemption for business
rates, in linewithother agricultural businesses. In a
statement given to theNFU,Mr Sunak said that hewould
bring forward legislation so that these sites are not liable
for a tax that couldhave a negative impact on the cost
of farming and that thiswould includebackdating all
payments for those affected. TheNFU says that thiswill
help redress an inconsistency in legislationwhich currently
excludes nursery grounds growingmainly or entirely under
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following aNFUmember’s long-running legal case, which
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determined that some nursery grounds growing under
cover did not qualify for the agricultural exemption to
business rates. NFUDeputyPresident GuySmith said:
“I’mpleased theMinister has recognised the importance
of the exemption to the industry.“
Biobest UK appointment
Biobest UK’sGeneral Manager PhilWalker, a leading
fiN\Ye iU [Oe<2IiVlVNiJal JVU[YVl iUd\s[Y` MVY sVTe
years, is retiring andhandingover the reins to another
industry stalwart Simon Jones. “JoiningBiobest UK I
amdelighted toonce againbeworkingwithmany ofmy
MVYTeY )C7 [eJOUiJal JVlleaN\es ò^OV UV^ MVYT [Oe JVYe
Biobest UK team.”
