Fresh vegetables are popular with Germans for their freshness, taste, quality and nutritional value – and in fact more popular than the cultivation with about 3.8 million tonnes per year can deliver. According to figures from the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, the national self-sufficiency rate, averaged across all varieties, is 36 percent. The demand for tomatoes can only be met to 3.5 percent – and according to the Federal Agency for Agriculture and Food, tomatoes are by far the Germans' favourites, with a per capita consumption of over 30 kilograms per year.
Accordingly, the German market relies on agricultural products from abroad. One of the most important import partners is Spain, from where more than three tonnes of fruit and vegetables were brought to Germany in 2023. According to the Spanish Customs and Excise Agency, in the first quarter of 2024 alone, 86,620 tonnes of tomatoes, 118,826 tonnes of cucumbers and 110,746 tonnes of peppers were brought into the country. German consumers also bought aubergines and courgettes from Spain, 15,794 tonnes of aubergines and 35,352 tonnes of courgettes.
The advertising and information campaign of the organisation of the fruit and vegetable sector, HORTIESPAÑA, shows that sustainability and cultivation in large-scale solar greenhouses do not have to be in conflict with each other when growing vegetables. HORTIESPAÑA: 'Aus dem Gewächshaus' (in social media under @ausdemgewachshaus), co-financed by the European Union, falls under the umbrella of the 'Enjoy, it's from Europe' programme. At the beginning of the year, in collaboration with the food retailer Edeka, campaigns were carried out in more than 300 branches in numerous German cities, and these are to be repeated in the coming months.
Technology enables circular water use
Solar greenhouses enable year-round growing by capturing solar energy, protecting crops from rain, cold and wind, and creating a microclimate in which fruits and vegetables can flourish year-round. An important sustainability argument: the technology enables circular water use in the greenhouse. Rainwater is also used. This makes the water footprint of solar greenhouse cultivation twenty times smaller than that of outdoor cultivation.
The facilities are ventilated naturally, avoiding the use of fossil fuels. Pests are controlled biologically to produce a safe, aromatic and healthy harvest. The seeds used are adapted to local conditions. All in all, solar greenhouses create a microclimate that increases productivity while using fewer resources.
A social model that makes an important contribution to food security
The social and economic relevance of the greenhouses is also enormous. In southern Europe alone, which includes the Spanish provinces of Almeria and Granada, they provide 70,000 direct jobs and more than 15,000 family-run agricultural businesses, with an average of 2.5 hectares of land, depend on this industry. The fact that greenhouse cultivation brings together experts from different backgrounds and industries, and offers young people prospects in the region, contributes to social stability in one of Europe's largest growing areas.
In the coming months, the 'Aus dem Gewächshaus' campaign will show consumers on the German market that southern Europe is a high-performing region that relies on sustainable and future-oriented technologies to contribute to food sovereignty and food security throughout Europe.
For more information:
https://ausdemgewachshaus.de/