At Rosaprima , the largest rosaceous farm in Ecuador , they get 150 diverseness on 136 ha in four farms . They are continuously investing in improving their crop by using new technologies , methods to reduce their environmental impact and provide the good work and social conditions for their employees . Last workweek , FloralDaily.com had the chance to chew the fat one of their farm so that we could see it all . This clause offer just a small coup d’oeil of what they do .
Juan Martin Gomez in the greenhouse
We visited one of the four farm in Cayambe , with a size of 73 hour angle . In this nursery , next to producing commercial varieties , Rosaprima also tests raw varieties from dissimilar breeders . Around 50 varieties from 10 to 12 breeders are being test . " We receive 10 plants from the breeder and turn it into 1000 plants . Then , we trial the color , stem distance , and head size " , says Juan Martin Gomez , Chief Quality Officer at Rosaprima . " For a grower , it is always good to quiz varieties in your own greenhouse . Then you screw the diverseness and its habits and from there on , it offer a skillful luck to get exclusivity on varieties . "
harvest auspices
When walking down the greenhouse , one can directly acknowledge something that is a little different compared to other farms : the mint works that are plant at the end of the seam . " It is a proficiency that we expend to minimize the pests . They play as a balk to aphid and other potential pests , as well as ensuring the timbre and optimal moisture of the filth . They are wide used on our farm " , say Gomez .
Mint institute at the end of the beds
Something else that strikes one ’s attention are the hedges of lavender implant in between the greenhouses . " In this warmheartedness we essay to keep the dirt ball out of the glasshouse . Insects prefer lavender over the industrial plant in the nursery . "
Lavender found outside the glasshouse
But there are more measures being taken to protect the crop , though they ’re not so clearly seeable . " We deal the plant with gas , alternatively of spraying . " This practice is very efficient , as it needs only one person to manipulate the machine versus 6 the great unwashed needed to spray .
recently , they started trialing with different bugs ( Acoro ) that kill other microbe , and types of fungus that kills uncollectible fungus . " We have try out it for five years in a science lab and now we ’re trying it commercially . " On top of that , they are shape intemperately to attain the idealistic climate for in force fungus . " Good fungus resultant in better quality soil " , adds Gomez .
Their methods are compound with agrochemicals that have been approve not only by the Ecuadorian authorities , but also through the Rainforest Alliance Standard , which ensures these are tried and test through a “ land - of - the - science risk judgment physical process .
novel techniques
Also regarding the usance of techniques and mechanization , they are continuously developing . One new technique that we have seen is the “ sky - line”- an automatonlike system that enthral the heyday from the farm to the post - harvest area , which results in a well vase life of the rose . " In the past times , a worker had to walk with go-cart and bring flower from all corner of the greenhouse to the post - harvest area . It could take him up to 1.5 hours from the last stop to the post - harvest area . "
Now , with this young automatise cart system , the flower nets are attach to the railing and directly transported to the post - harvest field . " This new cognitive operation only hire the flowers 20 hour or less to arrive . "
As a result , the rose wine will have a vase life of about five more days .
Nets are bring into the post - harvest area mechanically . The nets are tag in the glasshouse , so there is traceability from the field to the corner .
Another expert design is their water direction organisation . They are one of the few farm in Ecuador that has an irrigation system that saves over 300 million liters of H2O per year . " It not only ensures maximal efficiency of water consumption , but also warrant our plants experience the right amount to raise the most beautiful pink wine . We also ensure our wastefulness piddle is treated and always appraise the stage of nitrate of our soil to avoid any pollution of aquifers . "
In plus , Rosaprima ’s water reservoir increases their use of rain , and it creates a tidy ecosystem for the aboriginal vegetation and zoology of the region .
But there is more …
When walking on the farm , one could see carts with flower waste . Gomez explained that this waste is used as compost - maximise the efficiency in recycling and re - integrating food into the soil . " All vegetive waste turn out from the pruning and elimination of plants , as well as any rose products that will not be commercially used , are station on site to be compost . We use a combination of traditional compost method , include dirt ball compost , to produce a extremely productive constitutive fertilizer that cut the need to use any external fertilizers in our soil . "
Post harvest process ; from get in in the nets to quick for exportation
And rent ’s not blank out their employee . Since their inception in 1995 , they see their employees as the great plus , and are seat in not only them , but also in their families . " For representative , we offer free medical military service for our workers and their families . We also have a course of study that give learning to the children of our employees with the highest grades in schooling . "
For more entropy : Rosaprima International501 Brickell Key Drive , Suite 201 Miami , FL 33131 t : 1 ( 305 ) 644 - 8459 t : 1 ( 866 ) 97 - PRIMAf : 1 ( 786 ) 409 - 6330[email protected]www.rosaprima.com
© FloralDaily.com/Elita Vellekoop
