"As a sector, we must move away from chemistry"

Richard Scheffers has been a pot plant grower for 43 years. Since 1998 he and his company Richplant have operated out of Naaldwijk, the Netherlands, where they grow twenty different types of green and flowering houseplants. It's a challenging task, but he finds the variety rewarding – both for himself and for his employees.

New plant species regularly cross Scheffers' path. "When that happens, we first check whether they fit in with the rest of our product range from a cultivation perspective. Sometimes we conclude that it's best not to proceed." Most of the time, though, things go well, thanks to the nursery's fifteen different departments. "This gives us enough space to experiment with cultivation."

Biological puzzle
When it comes to energy, the company is well equipped, with a CHP and electric boilers. Last year they added a 1 MW battery, which enables them to store electricity for later use and help keep the power grid stable.

Richplant is committed to biological crop protection. "It's a real puzzle, but it's great when it works," Scheffers says. He gives an example: "We use Transeius montdorensis against thrips. This predatory mite does very well in some crops, but on other plants it just slips off the leaves. For each crop, you therefore need to decide which beneficial insects are most suitable for pest control. Fortunately, we have good staff who enjoy working that out."

© My-MPS

Richplant's "star team" uses as many "green products" as possible and scouts extensively throughout the greenhouse. "On my own I can't do much, but with our great team of growers, we can accomplish a lot."

Moving forward together in the sector
Richplant is proud of its efforts in corporate social responsibility, demonstrated by its MPS-ABC, MPS-GAP and MPS-SQ certifications. "Our communication with MPS is excellent, and whenever we have questions we always get the support we need," says Scheffers.

He also believes there is room for progress in the sector as a whole. "It would be good if green products could be authorised more quickly, as that would allow other products to be phased out. Fortunately, the sector is lobbying hard to keep that discussion realistic. We will ultimately need to move away from chemistry altogether, but we also need to get the time to find solutions."