Christian Bassi's cherry tomatoes are more sustainable than imports, even in winter. Growing them in greenhouses significantly increases the yield. "But it also makes the season longer. It now lasts eleven months," the 35-year-old tells Schweizer Bauer. The longer is essential, he says.
A greenhouse with a size of one hectare costs around three million francs [3.5 million USD]. The longer season also has other advantages. He now employs a larger proportion of his staff all year round. That is important. It allows him to offer them prospects. After all, it is difficult to find good staff.
Insights into tomato cultivation at Bassi.
Bassi, who took over his father Marco Bassi's farm in 2016, has expanded the operation from 40 hectares to 100 hectares of agricultural land, cultivating a variety of crops and employing up to 150 people during peak summer periods.
How did he come to grow cherry tomatoes during the winter? Bassi explains: "We had a vegetable producer meeting in 2018. Representatives from the federal government were also there. They openly told us that it was better to import tomatoes from Spain because Swiss tomatoes caused too much CO₂." This statement visibly annoys Bassi. "Sure, we have to heat. But our employees are paid correctly, and we minimize the use of pesticides and water. And we are always inspected," he explains.The Swiss level of self-sufficiency has fallen below 50 percent. "We have to make sure that we counteract this. What will we do if countries like Spain suddenly stop supplying vegetables?" he wonders.
The project to grow winter tomatoes began with the establishment of 5000 square meters of greenhouse space designed for winter production. Unlike the typical January planting schedule for tomatoes in Switzerland, Bassi's tomatoes are planted in August and harvested until July of the following year. However, the major challenge was the cost competitiveness with cheaper imported tomatoes. Despite this, Bassi managed to secure a construction permit for the greenhouse in September 2021, and by May 2022, construction was completed without a guaranteed buyer for the tomatoes.
Bassi's greenhouse, unique in Switzerland, reduces CO2 emissions by 65% compared to traditional greenhouses, utilizing waste heat from the Giubiasco waste incineration plant and LED lighting to minimize energy consumption. The entire tomato cultivation follows the hors-sol principle, emphasizing environmental and resource conservation, alongside biological pest control methods.
The successful pilot project caught the attention of Coop, a retail chain that agreed to meet Bassi's price demands and purchase the entire harvest. This partnership has allowed Bassi to replace several dozen tons of imported tomatoes with local produce. Encouraged by the positive response, there are plans for further expansion. Bassi credits the project's success to the innovative spirit of Swiss agriculture.
Christian is nominated for the Swiss Agropreis award. He plans to invest any award money into employee training, enhancing both product quality and staff motivation.
For more information:
www.orticolabassi.ch