CU LTIVATION AND TECHNOLOGY Everything is about flexibility in a modern seed potato business which variety? We’re also dependent on the varieties in the Agrico or HZPC ranges, and how much we’re allowed and the price they pay. And I haven’t even mentioned the bagging and delivery periods. So far we’ve had rather a lot of later varieties, so we’re now working towards a change to more early varieties. We’ll then be able to optimise the times of grading and delivering. This optimisation not only applies to the farm’s seed potato crops, but also to the harvesting times of other crops such as carrots and chicory’, the enthusiastic seed potato grower says. Well-planned storehouse layout ‘Very important in current management is flexibility’, Smits continues. A fine example is the well-planned lay-out of the storehouse and storage and grading lines of the seed potato business. In order to place the five thousand boxes within a short period of time, Smits Cropping had a big, new storehouse constructed with a total of three big storerooms provided with modern ventilation technology and mechanical cooling. There are a few things that catch the eye. First of all, the three 8-metres high sliding doors for every storeroom. ‘We’ve chosen this option so that we don’t have to open and close the entire space when we move the boxes in or out, and another advantage is that you can stack boxes six high against those doors’, Smits explains their choice. What’s more, each storeroom is equipped with four air bags/channels to close off two rows of boxes on the top and in the front. They were supplied by Sidijk from Heerenveen. A unique feature is the remote controls to fill up or empty the air bags; they were commissioned by Smits who also provided the idea. Normally, there are stop-cocks high up at the start of the airlock. To operate them you need to enter the air cell and go up to switch them on-or-off. Smits has now had the stop-cock made under on the vertical air bag. ‘There’s now a flexible hose below the rails (to replace the vertical air bag) from the air cell to the stopcock. If you have to remove or add a few boxes in the rows, for grading or delivery, for example, it’s easy to just open or close the stop-cock and you don’t have to run up and down to the air cell each time’, Smits explains. Ethylene easy to use The seed potato grower not only blows air into the storerooms, but also the sprouting regulator ethylene. ‘We’ve already had some experience with Talent, but we’ve changed over to ethylene in the new storehouse. It’s much more flexible to work with. To start with it’s much With the stop-cock attached to the vertical air bag, you don’t have to run up and down to the air cell every time’ The three storerooms in the store are provided with 8-metre high sliding doors. An advantage is that you can stack boxes six high against those doors. 42 Potato World 2016 • number 2 Pagina 41
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