The Greenery has awarded Nature Counts status to four of its top-flight growers at last week’s Floriade trade show in The Netherlands.

Sustainable cultivation is the norm for growers affiliated to The Greenery, however Nature Counts recognises those that take sustainability a step further with innovative production practices that are demonstrably more sustainable than traditional methods.

Only products that have proved to be successful are considered for the Nature Counts label, the company says. The four new Nature Counts growers are Oirschot Organics, Westende Fruitteelt, Kwekerij Gerichhausen and Bonny.

Oirschot Organics grows organic vine tomatoes and capsicum collaboration with a nearby organic goat farm.

Westende Fruitteelt grows several different varieties of pear using a low-residue method while its packhouse, canteen and offices are all heated with residual heat from the cold stores. The company also stands out for its willingness to share knowledge and take risks in the development of new varieties.

Kwekerij Gerichhausen has been growing vine tomatoes since 1977 and reduced its use of crop protection inputs resusing substrate mats over a 10-year period influencing the plant-root systems through a special watering schedule.

Canary Islands tomato grower Bonny has installed three large windmills and solar panels to enable it to stop using fossil fuels entirely. The grower’s desalinisation plant also runs on wind energy. The installation treats seawater so that it can be used to irrigate tomatoes and cucumbers rather than use valuable drinking and groundwater.

A Greenery spokesman said: “With the addition of these new growers, 7.4 per cent of the volume of produce from our Dutch growers is now produced under the Nature Counts label. Additionally, two of our leading foreign suppliers have also received this label. The products from our front-runners have come to feature prominently in The Greenery’s wide range of products, including the organic and international ranges. The Greenery’s initiative to inspire growers to embrace sustainable cultivation has been yielding rich rewards. The label also facilitates clear-cut communication on sustainable products with both customers and consumers."

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