Although China started rather late on greenhouse agriculture, in more recent years the government has introduced several policies that support the development of this industry. Moreover, the living standards of people have been rising, and so has their attention to food safety and demand for high-quality agricultural products.
The Chinese greenhouse industry has improved as a result of these conditions. The spread of the industrial-scale production of fruit and vegetables has been an impetus for the greenhouse industry.
Haygrove first entered the Chinese market in 2017. In only a few years time they witnessed a complete turnover of the Chinese soft berry market. Michael Oates, board member of Haygrove China, recently talked about the company's berry greenhouse products, their strengths, and future trends in the industry.
Our clients can choose greenhouses that suit local conditions
In China our greenhouses are mainly used for the production of blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries. China's most important berry production areas are in Yunnan, Anhui, Liaoning, and Shandong. The services of Haygrove are also concentrated in these areas.
According to Michael, their plastic greenhouses have several advantages. "Compared to other greenhouses, the plastic greenhouses are quicker to set up and the cost price of source materials is lower. Moreover, the automated operation system guarantees ventilation and warm temperatures. The automated system also keeps the cost price of labor low. All of which means that investors can see a quick return on their investment."
"Haygrove offers various greenhouse systems. We usually help our Chinese clients select the most suitable greenhouse options for the specific weather conditions in their region. For example, in areas with high temperatures, our clients need greenhouses that cool down quickly and can rapidly reduce moisture, but heat preservation is not that important. Our 'easy to ventilate' and 'pioneer' series greenhouses are popular choices in Yunnan. Greenhouse farmers in north China primarily struggle with strong winds, so they are looking for greenhouses that resist strong winds and preserve heat. The monomer greenhouse is the choice for north China."
"The Chinese soft berry industry is gradually changing from traditional agriculture to installation-based agriculture. And the mindset is changing too. We have helped many farmers make that change since we entered China. But China is huge and every region has unique characteristics. There is not a single solution for all. We have to take into consideration the variation in crops, differences in geography, and customise requirements. We always try to help our clients find suitable products for their specific challenges. For example, greenhouse farmers in Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Shanghai require good ventilation in summer and heat preservation in winter. These mixed requirements are difficult to meet, so we have designed two new series of 'peak ventilation' and Serra Butterfly 'ventilation' greenhouses. And we have received great feedback from our clients."
We are farmers as well as greenhouse suppliers
China has many greenhouse supply companies. When asked about the advantages of Haygrove greenhouses, Michael replied: "We are the only international greenhouse supplier in the world with our farms who also manufactures greenhouse systems. We have more than thirty years of experience in the berry industry. We currently have a blueberry plantation in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, that covers an area of 54 hectares. We combine the viewpoints of farmers and greenhouse suppliers to improve our products. That is how we are able to best present our unique strengths in the global greenhouse market."
"In addition, we also devote areas of our farm to experimental production of various berries. We also work closely together with international specialists and regularly receive feedback and suggestions. Our technical team studies, analyzes, and reports. This process is repeated throughout the design and construction of greenhouse systems. We continuously improve our designs. That is the only way towards sustainable development of greenhouse systems. We bring technological solutions to traditional agricultural areas to help the rapid development of a scientific berry industry in China. And we always look for better ways to support our clients with improved services."
We work hard to give our clients the best rate of return on their investment
"As farmers, we are very aware of the need to have the largest added value for the lowest cost price. We have plastic-based greenhouse systems. They are all designed around the 'highest return rate of investment'," explained Michael.
"For example, Haygrove supplies the entire greenhouse system for a well-known English strawberry grower who used to produce around 12 tons of strawberries per hectare with traditional farming methods, and roughly 70% of the strawberries were first grade. When the farmer adopted greenhouse technology, but kept the original plants, they already reduced the need for pesticides. Greenhouses are an excellent method for the prevention of plant disease and insect pests. When the strawberry farmer adopted greenhouse technology, the overall production volume increased by 15% and the ratio of first-grade strawberries rose by 14%. And for the areas where the farmer paid the most attention, turnover increased by 37%."
"After the initial adoption of greenhouse technology, the farmer implemented additional changes. The strawberry farmer replaced soil-based plantation with substrate systems. The growing environment for plants changed significantly, and the likelihood of inferior fruit greatly reduced. The strawberry production volume further increased. The use of substrate also allowed them to raise the speed of manual harvesting, which reduced the cost price of manual labor per product," explained Michael.
"When the cost price drops and the income grows, then the investment quickly pays off. We never stop growing added value for our clients. Not only did the product quality of the strawberries improve, but the farmer also saw the profit margin grow."
Haygrove Shanghai Trade Co., Ltd.
Haygrove entered China in 2017. The company sells greenhouse systems in major berry production areas throughout the country, and owns a blueberry plantation in Xishuangbanna. "We are an active company with high standards and great achievements. And we abide by the principles of sustainable development. We continuously innovate, mature, and work hard on our image and reputation. That is how we hope to become the leading company in our industry."
For more information:
Doris Guo
Haygrove Shanghai Trade Co., Ltd.
E-mail: shanghai@haygrove.com
Website: www.haygrove.co