About one year ago, Research Centre Hoogstraten and Proefstation voor de Groenteteelt (Research Station for Vegetable Production) in Sint-Katelijne-Waver announced the possibility of enhanced cooperation and started exploratory talks. After an intensive but positive process, there appeared to be sufficient similarities to proceed as a unified organization. On 25 March, the members of both governing bodies and the directors of BelOrta and Coöperatie Hoogstraten signed a declaration of intent in which a number of administrative matters were already laid down.
With this declaration of intent, both organizations aim to lay down a solid foundation with a view to starting a formal merger process, to continue as one organization under the name Harvestis from 1 January 2026.
PCH, in Meerle, and PSKW, in Sint-Katelijne-Waver, have already built up a strong collaboration for many years, mainly in the field of greenhouse vegetable research. This cooperation extends to various projects, joint technical committees, AGHRANT initiatives, Trial Garden News, and much more.
With HARVESTIS, or in full Horticultural Applied Research for Vegetables and Strawberries, Innovation and Science, both practice centers are now taking the next important step to further support growers, and by extension the wider vegetable and strawberry sector, in the numerous challenges the sector faces today.
Future-proof
'After an intensive process guided by BDO Belgium, it became clear that a unified organization would offer significant advantages for the organizations as such, and even more so for our main target group, the vegetable and strawberry growers. Over the years, both centers have built up expertise in innovation, fertilization, energy, sustainable water use, automation, etc. By combining this expertise and the state-of-the-art infrastructure of both organizations, we are creating enormous added value for practical research.
'Besides our joint activities in greenhouse vegetable research, as centers, we also have our specializations: PSKW excels in outdoor vegetable and leafy vegetable research, while PCH is highly specialized in strawberry research. If you put all this together, you arrive at a future-proof organization that can play a leading role in translating scientific insights into high-quality, innovative, practice-oriented research from which growers will literally and figuratively reap the benefits. Hence the name HARVESTIS. A better Harvest through Innovation and Science,' says Els Berckmoes, director of the Vegetable Breeding Research Station.
Growers remain central to the new organization
'Both parties are stepping into this new story with two major goals. First, the focus is on further professionalizing the internal organization and bundling expertise. It is through this drive for efficiency and making optimal use of our strengths that we will be a grower-focused reliable knowledge partner within the vegetable and strawberry cultivation industry. Even more, than we already are today,' adds Tom Van Delm, director of Proefcentrum Hoogstraten.
'By further professionalizing our internal organization, we are also taking targeted steps forward externally. This cooperation allows us to even better meet joint challenges in the changing and competitive international research landscape and thus be a valuable partner for our stakeholders. Both centers have developed their future strategies with similar ambitions and approaches, so joining forces and creating synergies will lead to significant added value. Increasing external clout goes hand in hand with maintaining current strengths, such as grower engagement at substantive and managerial levels such as local anchoring at two locations, and a strong link with Coöperatie Hoogstraten and BelOrta.'
Merger by 1 January 2026
'The far-reaching talks and discussions have already provided very solid foundations to build on. In terms of mission, vision, strategy and ambitions, our plan is clear. However, there is still a lot of work to be done. Not only do the necessary legal steps need to be taken correctly; operational adjustments also need to be made. This mainly concerns the integration of teams and IT systems. Furthermore, we will also actively work on getting our two teams acquainted with each other and with the organizations,' says Tom.
'We are following a clear plan. In December, we expect to officialize everything to finally go through life under the new name HARVESTIS on 1 January. We have full confidence in what is to come. With strong foundations and a strong, talented team, we are fully ready for the future,' Els adds.
Coöperatie Hoogstraten and BelOrta, which have historically strong ties with the trial centers, also support the merger and the joint ambition to further strengthen the horticultural sector. Together, they are laying the foundations for a future-oriented, innovative horticulture sector, where the joining of forces and knowledge sharing prepare the sector for tomorrow's challenges.