The Frutura Company has officially opened a unique new project, Frutura Geothermal Vegetable World, where organic tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers are cultivated utilising geothermal energy from hot springs in Styria on 43,000m2 of production area. The geothermal system is used to meet the energy needs of the glasshouses in which the produce is grown, with the hot spring water re-injected after use without any contact with either the air or with humans.
But how does this system work? Simply, a borehole brings hot water of up to 125°C to the surface, which provides sustained heat for year-round vegetable growth without the use of fossil fuels. The water is then recycled after use through a second borehole at a depth of 3,000m.
One major benefit is that vegetables can be produced in the ‘cold months’ of October to May, a period in which Austria usually relies on imports of tomatoes and peppers from southern Europe or the Middle East to fill the supply gap. “At present, up to 60 per cent of various vegetables such as tomatoes and pepper are imported to Austria, as production in the country is far too low,” explains Manfred Hohensinner, one of the Frutura owners behind Geothermal Vegetable World. “With this innovative project, we will, in future, produce regional vegetables year-round. This is not only organics, we also work gmo-free and residue-free, even in conventional production – we will rely on beneficial organisms and minimise the use of pesticides and fungicides.”
The innovative project will exclusively supply the ‘Spar Natur Pur’ brand at Spar, the largest food retailer in Austria, with a deal agreed for Frutura to send some 1,200 tonnes of organic tomatoes and peppers annually to the retailer from the end of June this year. Spar is said to be pleased about the fact that the project can reduce vegetable imports by around 30 per cent, enabling them to offer even more local vegetables to consumers.
“Thanks to the ingenious idea of Frutura owners and their unshakeable will to implement their ideas, we can offer our customers fresh, ripe, organic Austria-grown tomatoes and peppers, and in the future we can offer native vegetables year-round,” explains Dr Gerhard Drexel, CEO of Spar Austria. “This is great and exactly what local consumers want. The fact that the products are also grown environmentally friendly is the icing on the cake. It’s an excellent example of modern agricultural development.”
The positive environmental status of the production project, and in particular the low greenhouse gas status of the geothermal system, has been met with approval by the Federal Environment Agency, in a carbon footprint analysis. There are also additional ecological measures in place at the site – Frutura has invested €1.3m in these after consultation with Styrian water ecologists and conservation officers.
This is not the end of developments, however. A second expansion phase for conventional vegetable production is currently undergoing the approval process. “In conventional production we are going to reach the highest quality standards in Europe, in order to offer consumers the best regional product quality and product safety,” notes Franz Städtler, another of the group’s owners.
