Bob Hunsche, Manager Sales at Van der Hoeven Horticultural Projects his vision on 2021

“In 2021, we will have a better overview of the long-term effects of COVID-19. ‘Protected cropping’ is more than ever very important to secure safe and available food. Demands for more sustainable solutions will rise even further. Not only in volume, but especially with respect to technology. We will see accelerated growth in artificial intelligence, improved climate control techniques, and optimization of the yield per m2 of crop and of resource usage – all strongly supported by digital developments”, says Hunsche.

Although COVID-19 might be on its way out, the need to be self-sufficient in the production of fresh and safe vegetables has not diminished. We actually see that the demand for safe and available food is increasing. It is a huge opportunity and responsibility for us to help our clients worldwide to fill in their ambitions in the field of sustainable food production.

Our innovative techniques make it possible to design and build complete greenhouse projects regardless of the climate conditions at the desired location. This has resulted in highly modern production facilities from Kazakhstan to Australia and from the UAE to Canada.
In general, the surface of projects as well as investments are increasing in order to meet the great demand of vegetables and to ensure a sustainable and successful business model. Pest control has also become an important topic in safe food production. Our semi-closed greenhouses control pests and diseases by creating overpressure so that crops are protected and optimum conditions are guaranteed for healthy production.

The demand for even more sustainable solutions is growing continuously. How do we apply (natural) resources in large-scale production facilities without depleting them? And how do we make sure that businesses can run in the most cost-effective way? The key is, in the first place, to pinpoint as early as possible all opportunities for applying sustainable solutions in a specific greenhouse project. A professional feasibility study at an early stage ensures that all elements contribute to a positive operating result. Secondly, our specialists use innovative approaches when facing complex sustainability-related issues. They constantly focus on new solutions and strive for perfection. This results in customized solutions centered on sustainability and profitability. Good examples of this are Sundrop Farms in Australia, Sara Farms in Japan and Baywa in the UAE.

Whatever our clients’ needs, Van der Hoeven offers proven experience in sustainable solutions, innovative thinking and successful business models.