Arable farmers traditionally specialize in the cultivation and storage of one or two products. But times change. Frank Vanaert, storage specialist at Equans Refrigeration, gives six reasons to invest in a cooling installation that is suitable for multiple products.
1. Spread risks
"If you have good potatoes, you can ask a good price. But what if the price is disappointing? It could also be that the price is good, but you don't have the kilos. Due to, for example, bad weather conditions or too much drying out due to the conventional storage. There is therefore a risk to one-sided cultivation. Take flax, which was simply not there this year. Due to the wet and then dry spring, the seeds did not emerge. You have a problem if you are dependent on it. cooling installation that is suitable for all-round storage In addition to potatoes, you can also store alfalfa, sugar beets and onions. And spread your risks."
2. Better for the soil
"Growing potatoes demands a lot from the soil. Growing only potatoes on the same area year after year depletes the soil. It is therefore crucial to change crops to maintain good soil conditions. After two or three years of growing potatoes, it is a good idea to grow onions, straw or grain in the same field. Grain in particular is gentle on the soil and ensures that you need to fertilize less later. More variety in cultivation results in healthier soil."
3. Spread activities
"In addition to spreading the risks, it is useful to spread the activities. For potato growers, the peak is mainly during harvesting in late summer and immediately afterwards. For example, tractors and harvesting machines have to be driven, sanding has to take place, the land has to be prepared for winter and green manure is sown. All that work requires capacity in the sense of personnel, tractors and machines. With harvests that are spread over the year, you need fewer personnel, because you have no peak moments. The use of machines is then more efficient, because they don't stand still for long. As an arable farmer you can easily manage the spread of activities, for example in June with second-year students onion sets, grain in summer and string beans or carrots in October and November."
4. Spread income
"Logically, with the cultivation of multiple arable agricultural products you also have a greater spread of income. With one-sided cultivation, such as only potatoes, money only comes in in the autumn. You harvest in June onions, then you can also earn from that in that month. And for example, when harvesting barley at the end of June, you have the option of growing another crop of string beans for the autumn."
"Of course there are conditions attached to this all-round cultivation and storage. The machinery must be in order to be able to sow, plant and harvest. Knowledge of the product is essential to deliver a good product. And for a lot of variation in storage, an advanced cooling installation is essential. For example, a potato storage facility is not suitable for celeriac, but you can store potatoes well in a celeriac storage facility. This is because the cooling capacity of potatoes is a lower wattage per ton, and cooling a ton of celeriac is higher. An installation must be able to handle that. Equans can provide a cooling installation that makes all-round storage possible. We previously did this at Van Oorschot arable farm in Achthuizen. His cells are full of different products all year round."
5. Cool more homegrown products
"In the future, our way of eating will change. Even if we still get beans from Africa or soybeans from Brazil, with the ever-increasing diesel and fuel prices it is no longer attractive to get products from far away. I expect the Netherlands to produce more home-grown products." is going to eat. Good storage that allows you to store multiple products for a longer period of time increases your chances on the market."
6. Customers keep inventories small
"French fries producers used to collect their batch of potatoes in one go and then fill their cold stores with fries. This is all happening less. After all, space and refrigeration are required for every pallet of fries. And that is expensive. More and more customers therefore want to keep their stocks small. You can earn money for every month that you can store products longer, but your installation must be able to handle that. cooling system for all-round storage, then this will benefit your products, but above all your company."
Curious about all the possibilities? look at the Equans website or take without obligation contact us.