The episode premiering next Thursday, April 18th, will also cover new driving systems, research on bacterial cancer, browning of the Regina variety, solid water, among other innovations and technologies in cherry production.
In recent years, agriculture, particularly cherry cultivation, has been marked by impressive technological development, research, and innovation. These advancements have enabled the resolution of decades-old issues, facilitated tasks, and addressed new challenges. The use of drones, irrigation monitoring systems, covers, software, and new products are just some of the novelties in the industry.
In the context of innovation in cherry production, there exists a worldwide icon: the most technologically advanced cherry orchard. It is located in the heart of Europe, 80 kilometers south of Budapest, the capital of Hungary. It boasts the most modern technology, allowing the cultivation of various cherry varieties in pots under greenhouse conditions.
“The idea behind this project is based on my father’s and my own experience, we started growing cherries in pots in 2012. Something about the orchard, which we can consider one of the most modern in the world, is that the cherries grow in pots, not in the soil. So they receive all the irrigation and fertilizers through water, via the irrigation water. Additionally, we are cultivating in a greenhouse with a retractable roof, so we can open and close the roof. Also, there’s the size of the greenhouse. Finally, we are using a pergola pruning system, which I believe many producers in Chile are familiar with now, but it’s a relatively modern way of pruning, breaking the branches. That’s why it’s such a modern orchard,” explained Peter Kelemen, advisor to the owner of the Hungarian cultivation.
In this new episode of Smartcherry, titled “Innovate or Die,” we will get to know this futuristic orchard, whose installation per hectare costed close to US$500,000. It’s a project that arose after its owner lost 95% of his field in 2015 due to a storm. It was then that he decided to take a productive turn and set out to cultivate in pots.
Peter Kelemen will speak in detail about this incredible orchard and will tell us the reason that led them to develop this project. “Look, I believe that this project was born out of passion, so first of all, I think the producer who decided to invest in this project… his requirement was to change his farm, and I think this is a very important need. This producer was growing fruits on more than 70 hectares, but back in 2015, he was experiencing a lot of damage from a hailstorm. So, he decided to create a different way of producing fruit and opted to decrease his farm, focusing on crops with higher value and working on those crops on a smaller surface area compared to the past,” concluded Kelemen.
This new episode will be broadcast on Smartcherry TV on Thursday, April 18th at 9:30 PM (GMT-4). Sponsored by Cogrowers and Quimetal, the program will also cover new driving systems, research on bacterial cancer, browning of the Regina variety, solid water, among other innovations and technologies in cherry production.
