Flow cytometric ploidy determination, chlorophyll scanners, vacuum transport systems: all the stops are pulled out to further optimize the quality of seeds. At the same time, traceability is also becoming increasingly important, and a whole host of sensors and data collection techniques are involved. Every year, Seed meets Technology is an excellent opportunity to view all of this on one exhibition floor, which a lot of specialists from the sector did.
View the photo report here.
Van den Berg Climate Technology, here on the photo with Jacco van Wieringen and Stephen Geenen, at a drying cabinet with a new, extra-fine mesh for drying flower seeds. The drying cabinet is also equipped with a new feature, namely a frequency-controlled fan that can give such a boost that the seeds are turned automatically, so hand-tossing of seeds is no longer necessary.
Expanded
This year it is the sixth edition of the trade fair in Zwaagdijk at host Proeftuin Zwaagdijk. This year the exhibition floor was expanded and the entrance was moved, making it easier for visitors to walk past almost sixty present companies.
Hennie Tesselaar from Proeftuin Zwaagdijk had interesting news. Since this year, Proeftuin Zwaagdijk has been ASLN certified by Naktuinbouw, which means that the company in peak periods can now help seed companies with certified germ tests.
Kees van der Luyt from Pedak Meettechniek, this year not with a Land Rover as an eye-catcher, but with pot roses to brighten up the orange stand a little bit more. The men from the company, specialized in sensor technology, explained at the fair, among other things, about private LoRa, a long-range system for sending data, but only privately, so without having to pay per piece of sent data.
Quality and traceability
Recurring terms were quality and traceability. Driven by increasingly strict regulations, it is becoming increasingly important to know what is happening and what has happened to a product throughout the entire chain. With the new European Plant Passport that will be introduced on December 14, companies are required to share that information.
Germains Seed Technology Aalten has existed for fifty years and celebrated this by, among other things, handing out cupcakes to the trade fair visitors and peers from the sector.
Visitor numbers on the rise
Seed meets Technology was able to boast huge visitor numbers. Presenting new technology and varieties alongside an informative programme apparently makes for a unique formula that is highly attractive to business enterprises active in the seed industry.
The programme also included the symposium ‘Crop protection 2030: what does it mean for seeds?’, which featured speakers from the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Artemis, Bejo and Incotec, who spoke about the vision of the future for 2030 with regard to crop protection in relation to their professional fields. This was apparently a subject that elicited numerous questions, which in turn resulted in some very interesting discussions.
Seed companies
This year Takii Europe set up a tent smack in the middle of the demo fields. There were stunning views of the fields, on which dozens of crops were being grown.
Gautier Semences participated this year for the first time. The French grower’s main crop is lettuce. Many varieties were on exhibit, grown both hydroponically and out in the open field.
2020 Edition
The next edition of this event will take place from 22 to 24 September 2020. You can register for a stand or a demo field via info@seedmeetstechnology.com .