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Priva signs cooperation agreement in China
Priva, world market leader in climate and process control in greenhouses, is developing a very special project in Shanghai, China. In cooperation with the Chinese SAAS agricultural research institute, Priva will realize a semi-closed horticultural greenhouse provided with heat and cold storage. In addition, heat exchange with the adjacent office building will be added in the future. On 22 June, Meiny Prins, chief executive officer of Priva, signed in Shanghai a letter of intent to this effect with the principal parties in this project: the Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences (SAAS) and the Priva partner in China, Dushi Green Engineering.
The main object of the project is to show that the latest technologies in the area of greenhouse horticulture can be applied profitably in vegetable growing because they produce a higher yield per sq.m., while reducing the use of water and energy. The application of techniques used in substrate-based cultivation also contributes to food safety, an item that is high on the agenda in China, a country marked by soil pollution. Using these growing methods, the project will show that food production can be profitable, sustainable and clean.
The total project comprises the construction of a semi-closed greenhouse with cultivation facilities and the realization of cold and heat stores in deep underground wells. The costs of the project are estimated at € 2.8 million. The project is financed by the participating companies, the Chinese government and a subsidy granted by the Agency for International Business and Cooperation (EVD). The lead time of the total project has been estimated at three years.
Priva will develop the project from the outset jointly with IF Technology that specializes in innovative solutions for heat and cold storage. In this project, Priva will be additionally supported by Rijk Zwaan BV, among others. Other parties will join in at a later stage. Each of the parties will bring its own knowledge and/or products into the project, thus resulting in a valuable combination. This way, the consortium provides SAAS, the commissioning party, with a total solution. The success of the project will open doors for follow-up projects and for the further development of business for Dutch horticultural enterprises.
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