Mexico: High Tech Gardens finds perfect partner in Windset Farms, considers expansion

At the Agro Expoalimentaria, Guanajuato we had the pleasure of meeting with Mexican greenhouse grower Salomon Levy. Levy is one the growers at High Tech Gardens, a greenhouse operation that is located at the Agropark in Queretaro. Even though their first years into greenhouse horticulture where not easy, Levy and the other shareholders of High Tech Gardens are looking forward to the future and are considering expansion of their operations.

As the company’s name suggest, High Tech Gardens is a high tech greenhouse. The growers currently have 13 hectares of plastic houses who are controlled by a Priva climate computer and in order to heat the crops they have piperails. As well as this they use modern irrigation equipment. “We build our greenhouses in 2010 and planted the first crop the year after,” said Salomon Levy. “By growing tomatoes on the vine and grape tomatoes we have had a steady growth over the last four years from 2.6 hectare to 13 hectares. Right now, we are looking to expand with 3 more hectares at the Agropark.”

Sweetelle

Like many other growers in Mexico, High Tech Gardens’ harvest is mainly marketed towards the United States. The growers will now start selling their product to Windset Farms. Levy says “it’s all about finding the right partners.” They have been with Windset for a year now and are completely happy with this partnership. With Windset Farm they help by getting their product through Mexico, USA, and Canada. “We are very happy to grow for Windset Farms. We think we found the right partner to expand our production in Mexico, and it is a great group of entrepreneurs to be part of. I think our upcoming expansion will also be a great attribute to this partnership.

Komeett

Currently High Tech Gardens is growing two sorts of tomato crops; TOV variety Komeett from Monsanto’s greenhouse vegetable branch De Ruiter Seeds as well as grape tomato variety Sweetelle from Syngenta. Windset Farms gave them other options for other TOV varieties, but Levy and his colleagues are so enthusiastic about Komeett that they are not looking to change to another variety. “Komeett is a variety that we like very much,” he said. “It gives nice heavy fruit and is a strong crop, and especially very strong when the weather can be really harsh.” Levy added that the combination of this crop with RIOCOCO cocopeat slabs is also excellent. “We are growers with only a few years experience, so we do not yet know all the ins and outs of greenhouse growing. Thanks to the RIOCOCO slabs we can learn very fast, and not be punished when we make a mistake in our irrigation schedule or fertilizer mix, it is a very forgiving substrate. “

For more information:

Monsanto:
http://www.deruiterseeds.com/

Syngenta:
www.syngenta.com

RIOCOCO;
www.riococo.com