In March, Uzbekistan acquired its own high-tech horticulture. In that month, cultivation started in the 5.5-hectare Ultra-Clima greenhouse delivered by KUBO. The project is in the Khorezm region, an area in the west of the Central Asian country with a population of 32 million people. Interestingly: the government is the driver behind the use of modern horticultural technology.
‘Sowing has been done and the plants were grown in a cultivation section. The first crop is the cucumber. The plants entered the greenhouse in March,' says export manager Henk van Tuijl from KUBO, who supervised the construction of the project. It was no coincidence that the country chose the Ultra-Clima greenhouse. Climatological conditions in Central Asia vary widely. Following the winter months when the thermometer falls below zero, temperatures in summer can be up to 45 degrees.
'Higher profit per euro'
However, an Ultra-Clima greenhouse can make a real difference in these conditions. 'The country's president is therefore encouraging entrepreneurs to invest in modern horticultural technology. KUBO's Ultra-Clima is the clearest example of this policy. High-tech greenhouses generate higher profit per invested euro or dollar than the simple poly film greenhouses from countries like China or North Korea, which are still often built.'
Unsustainable cotton cultivation
Uzbekistan is one of the 'distant' horticultural locations - 3,500 kilometres from Monster - which wants to invest more in its own food production. Some of the harvest also goes to Russia, as an export product. The country still depends very heavily on unsustainable cotton cultivation. To make year-round cultivation possible, grow lights have been installed in the 5.5-hectare greenhouse. The initiator of the project also owns animal feed factories and a chicken farm in the country. Natural gas is cheap there, as is labour.
Support for setting up company
To supplement the lack of knowledge about cultivation, KUBO provides specialised expertise in the form of Smart Growing. Under that name, the Monster-based greenhouse builder supports growers all over the world. 'Dutch' cultivation expertise can be applied either on site or remotely.
