Netherlands soft fruit solutions
After numerous preparatory activities which took place in previous years, a project called Netherlands Soft Fruit Solutions will officially start in June 2020 in Serbia. A cooperation agreement was signed on April 15, 2020
The government of the Netherlands and a consortium of eleven companies representing the Dutch fruit sector have developed a public-private partnership called “Netherlands Soft-Fruit Solutions”, which will assist in developing an efficient, sustainable soft fruit chain in Serbia.
The partnership is a 3-year-long project within the program Partners for International Business. Through this project, the Dutch soft fruit sector - which is a world leader in applying the most modern techniques in a sustainable way - will contribute to the improvement of Serbian berry production. With this project the Netherlands aims to conclude cooperation agreements with Serbian soft fruit growers but also with relevant knowledge centers in the fruit sector in Serbia.
Demo-fields and events
The favorite saying of farmers around the world is: Seeing is believing! Therefore, the project includes setting up of three Dutch demonstration pilots in three major production areas in Serbia with different micro climates - Intensive orchards with the state of the art technology.
The pilots should offer local producers a sneak peak into the Dutch “kitchen” of fruit production technology and knowhow, a showcase of the latest varieties, state of the art growing techniques, innovative harvest and post-harvest handling in the soft fruit world.
| Genson | www.genson.nl | |
| RAPO | www.rapo.nl | |
| Fall Creek | www.fallcreeknursrey.com | |
| Koppert | www.koppert.nl | |
| BvB substrates | www.bvb-substrates.nl | |
| VGB Watertechniek | www.vgbwatertechniek.nl | |
| Agrowser | www.agrowser.com | |
| BATO | www.bato.nl | |
| FS Europe | www.fseurope.eu | |
| HOL Spraying Systems | www.holsprayingsystems.com | |
| GEERLOFS |
Moreover, during the project, several events like seminars, roundtables, missions and joint participation at agricultural exhibitions will be organized in Serbia.
In this way, Netherlands Soft-Fruit Solutions, in partnership with its stakeholders from the industry, academia and government, will facilitate the transfer of knowledge and adaption of tailor-made and chain-wide solutions to improve productivity, food safety and quality of fruit production in Serbia.
The project will focus on the following three Serbian regions:
- Western Serbia – Arilje: raspberry
- Macva region: blue berry, strawberry, black currant
- Kosmaj region: all berries including red berry.