As global weather patterns become more unpredictable and growers experience extreme weather conditions, they are investing in solutions to protect high value crops.
Frost can have a devastating effect on all types of fruit sometimes destroying whole crops in one event. One solution for growers is to install frost fans to pull the warmer air down to ground level.
“We have seen a large increase in demand from Europe and Chile as well as our other markets,” said Chris Kay from New Zealand Frost Fans. “We have been focussing on European sales for the last 12 months, but I think the severe spring frost events last year really spurred growers to look at our technology. Grapes and kiwifruit are high value crops and there was extensive damage.”
All of the frost fans are manufactured in New Zealand, with distributors and service centres in the key growing regions. A new service centre has been opened in Griffith, Australia and construction of a new composite blade factory which will use robotic manufacturing, is underway in New Zealand.
The fans are activated by a wireless temperature probe which is situated in the crop canopy; when the temperature drops to a pre-set level, the machines start automatically.
The FrostBoss® Fans now include monitoring hardware as standard with an annual monitoring subscription fee. The grower is alerted to the drop in temperature and to which have been activated; he can also monitor the fuel levels and see the wind speed in real-time as well as historical data and graphs.
For more information:
Chris Kay
New Zealand Frost Fans Ltd
chris@nzfrostfans.com
Tel: +6421594298
www.nzfrostfans.com