There is innovation and development in the works for the Harvestfresh farms this year. With exciting objectives in place for their seedling and farming operation, and a focus on a new approach to leek seedings and High Density Teen leaf, 2023 is looking promising for the fresh produce agro-processor.
Harvestfresh is looking to increase their seedling volumes by 10% this year. That’s an additional 2.2M seedlings! This goes hand in hand with plans to increase sales, eliminate the risk of loadshedding and automate the feeding system and PH control. They aim to focus on the best quality seedlings – implementing the best practices, processes and protocols to ensure this.
There are similar objectives in place for their farming operations. Harvestfresh plans to increase their farming yield by 10% across all products and to extend their growing season by 2 weeks compared to last year. This should result in an increased turn over. This will be achieved through new fertilizer and spray programs, better soil preparation and weed control, and proper rotation practices.
Along side these objectives, comes a new and exciting approach to the growth of leek seedlings. The initial process includes soil analysis, unique fertilization methods and the use of specialized machinery to prepare the soil for growing. Once this has been done, more specialized equipment is used to sow the seedlings. The soil is then irrigated and covered in plastic tunnels and, later, plastic and acrylic to protect it from cold temperatures and to prevent it from being blown away. Approximately 12 weeks after sowing, the leek plants will be ready for harvest by means of the necessary equipment. The whole process is not labour intensive and produces uniform and quality product. This fresh approach to the growth and harvest of this product should yield great results for the fresh produce company.
This year, Harvestfresh will also be focused on growing High Density Teen leaf. This exciting new product is made up of a unique blend of European style lettuces which includes Oaks, Tangos and Lolarossas. They have been proven to outperform traditional spring mix in portion yield, shelf life and texture. Because no bitter varieties are added, they have a sweeter flavour than a traditional spring mix. The ideal colour recipe for this pioneering blend is 60% green lettuces and 40% red lettuces. Compared to traditional spring mix, High Density Teen Leaf has a higher loft, which generates more servings per gram. This means that they give a fuller appearance to any salad. With their sweet flavour, crunch and full body, they are certainly an exciting new venture for the Harvestfresh brand.
With all these innovations and developments in the works, it certainly looks to be a promising year ahead for Harvestfresh. Customers can expect fresh, good quality, safe product, on time and in full!
Author - Amber Maxted, June 2023