PW-ACTUA Argentineans want to improve cultivation and marketing To optimise the potato chain in Argentina and in other countries in Latin America, the Gitah Papa project (http://www. gitah.com.ar) was started in 2012. In this project, APH Group Argentina and a group of Dutch companies are working together with a few local businesses. ‘For this purpose, the Dutch and Argentinean government offer support based on the 2g@there export incentive programme. Important activities within this project are to carry out a market analysis, to set up demonstration projects, and to exchange knowledge and participate in exhibitions and congresses’, Harco Christiaens, Director of the APH Group Latin America explains. The Gitah collaborative project recently invited a group of Argentinean growers for an information trip to the Netherlands. At the potato trading company Landjuweel in Groningen, the Argentinean growers were first warmly welcomed by Operational Manager Alex Jansen, after which they were well-briefed about how smallpackaging companies in Holland operate. During a tour of the impressive business, the growers – who jointly grow a total of 1,200 hectares of potatoes – told their hosts that they were looking for modern machinery to optimise their cultivation and marketing processes. In addition, they were especially interested in how Landjuweel organises the purchase and delivery of potatoes. At the moment, the Argentinean growers harvest their potatoes and package most of them in 25 kilogram bags for delivery at the daily fresh market. They would like to present their potatoes in smaller packaging so that they can supply the new retail market. Christiaens says that the Argentinean sector would also like to improve their storage processes. ‘Growers who invest in storage can provide their buyers with a much better quality. ‘That’s because they’re able to supply a more constant quality at a lower cost price throughout the year by growing during the periods with the highest yields and efficiency’, the APH Director tells us. Another surprising conclusion from the Gitah project is that investing in the professional cultivation of seed potatoes is certainly profitable. ‘A great deal of knowledge and experience has been gained here by the Argentineans so that, when the project stops this autumn, the growers will definitely be able to convert their new knowledge into value for the chain’, is Christiaens’ belief. ● Broekema introduces ASP Conveyor belt manufacturer Broekema is a well-known global supplier of conveyor, sieve and barred belts for the international potato sector. In order to strengthen its position, the company has developed a new type of side panel with the name Active Side Protection (ASP). According to Jeroen Moleman of Broekema BV, the specially-developed fingers made of polyurethane ensure lightweight and strong sides. The advantage of ASP is that the elevator belts of lifters no longer need metal side plating. According to Moleman this saves enormously in weight. ‘Especially if you think that, with this type of plastic, soil and mud stick less than with other materials. In addition, we can now use smaller drive and return pulleys. And this has the advantage that the drop height and therefore the damage can be limited. As a result of the weight saving, we can make the elevators longer, steeper and wider and therefore increase the capacity’, according to the export manager. ● Harco Christiaens (l) and beside him Alex Jansen explain to the Argentinean growers what the Dutch table potato market is like. According to Jeroen Moleman, the new ASP has resulted in a big weight saving. Potato World 2015 • number 4 11 Pagina 10
Pagina 12Scoor meer met een web winkel in uw mailings. Velen gingen u voor en publiceerden catalogi online.
Potatoworld 2015/4 Lees publicatie 38Home