Presented by Peter Klapwijk during a Green Smile event Agriconferences 2010 in El Jadida -Morocco

1. Production of greenhouse tomatoes in
Morocco
•Present situation
•Comparison of 4 locations
(Bir Jdid, Oulidia, Essaouira, Agadir)
•Future steps to improve quality and production
By: Peter Klapwijk, Director Green Q B.V.

2. Morocco, present situation
• > 5000 ha tomatoes under plastic
• Large scale companies , professional organisation and
management
• Low cost, low tech focus
• Production level tomatoes 250 -300 ton/ha
• First quality 60-65%
• Growing in the soil
• Excelent growing climate

3. Strong Weak
• Climate • Water ? (rain?)
• Infra structure • Still growing in the soil
• Good design and • Production level per m2
organisation of nurseries
• Sensitive on climate
• Low cost labour
• Sensitive on nematodes
• Crop protection
• High use of water chemicals
• Growers are experienced and fertilizers per produced kg
professionals

4. Conditions for profitable
innovation& improvement
New methods of production must be :
• Economic feasable
• Technical reliable and controlable
• To the community and market: environmental
sustainable methods and a clean product

5. Various actions to improve
• Substrate, irrigation,
recirculation
• Greenhouse structures
light transmission
• Positioning of the plants
heating
• Heating + Ventilation
• Cooling / humidification

6. Substrate, Irrigation,Recirculation
• Better crop management
• Saving on fertilizers
• Less sensitive for nematodes
• Better control fruit quality
• Yearly costs € 2.- / M2
+
Benefits
• Increase production 25%
• Saving water 30% per kg product = + 25% production!!!!
• Saving 30% fertilizers
First logic step is traditional Morocco greenhouse + substrate (“Traditional +”)

7. Greenhouse structures
light transmission
• October-March: 1% light =1% production
• Light transmission glass greenhouse 70-
75%
• Light transmission modern plastic
greenhouse 60-65%
• Light transmission average “Agadir
greenhouse” 45-50%
(pollution with dust….)
• High tech, “semi-closed” “Desert
greenhouse”
More efficient use of surface gives 20%
higher yield !!

8. High tech, “semi-closed” “Desert greenhouse”

9. Heating +controled ventilation
• “Active” management of the greenhouse climate.
• Heating +controled ventilation will give better control of
plantload and higher winter production.
• Better control on climate is better control on quality of
plants and fruits.
• “Active growing” gives better forecast and control on
the production planning and financial result

10. Comparison 4 locations
• Light
• Temperature
• Rainfall

11. Bir Jdid
Oulidia
Essaouira
Agadir

12. Lightlevels and day temperatures

13. Lightlevel
• Agadir best light conditions in winter (October-March).
• Other locations slightly less, but still very good light conditions for winter production.
• Light levels are limited:
all efforts made to increase light transmission through greenhouse
cover will increase production and quality in winter month’s.
• At all locations greenhouse tomatoes can be grown, but every location needs small adjustments
regarding:
-Variety choice
-Crop planning Greenscheduler (date of sowing, planting, stem density, yield forecast……..)

14. Day temperatures
• Agadir warmer in winter
• Bir Jdid and Oulidia warmer in May-October Measures has to be
taken regarding:
-Quality tomatoes in late spring / early summer (end)
-Propagation young plants in summer
-Generative steering in autumn (fruitsize!)
• Measures like fogging system, screen (white wash roof)……….
• Essaouira has the best temperature conditions to grow greenhouse
tomatoes! cool day temperatures

15. Lightlevels and night temperatures

16. Night temperatures
• Essaouira warmest nights in winter (investments in heating
capacity.)
• Cool nights in Bir Jdid in spring and autumn is advantage for quality
of tomatoes (fruitsize !!!).
• Cool nights in Bir Jdid heating system is a must to produce high
quality greenhouse tomatoes.
• At all locations investments in a simple small capacity heating
system should be considered

17. Night temperatures
• In winter and spring night temperatures can fall down to levels:
< 15° Essaouira.
C
< 10° Agadir, Oulidia. Bir Jdid close to 5 °
C C………….
= TOO COLD AT SUNRISE !!!!
Quality and production can be improved if greenhouse is heated with a
spiral growth pipe near the crop.
• Many problems with fruit quality (shape, color, cracks, botrytis) are related
to too cold temperatures in early morning.
• Sufficient heating in night and early morning high quality production in
winter months close to 1.0 kg / m2/ week are guaranteed.

18. Night temperatures in Morocco simple low
capacity heating system growth pipes.
•Capacity relative low.
•Based on night temperatures in winter.
•Heat up +/- 18° at sunrise.
C Growth Pipes (spiral)
•Movable (automatic) ventilation with
windows required in case of heating
Modern plastic greenhouse
Rail pipe

19. Problems to avoid with heating system

20. Day and night temperatures

21. Rain in Morocco

22. Rain in Morocco
• Most rain is in October-April. Peak in November / December
• Rain water is the best water for all crops!!!!!!!
• Agadir relative dry +/- 700 mm rain. 700 l/m2.
• Oulidia relative wet +/- 850 mm rain. 850 l/m2.
• The average light level in growing season is +/- 1500 J/cm2/day.
• An adult tomato crop will need +/- 3-7 l/m2/day in this period (average 5)
• Depending on crop planning total 800-1200 l/m2 irrigation water is required (year round = 1600
l/m2 .
• At all locations a considerable part of the required water can be supplied via collecting rain water
from the greenhouse roof via a gutter system.
• Additional supply of irrigation water is needed, even in the rain season.

23. Climate summarized
• Climate at all locations is suitable for cultivation of greenhouse
tomatoes.
• At all locations a small capacity heating system will improve growing
conditions in winter and spring considerable.
• Rainfall is considerable at all locations but not covering 100%.
Collection and strorage of rain water should be considered.
• Additional supply of irrigation water is needed at some moments

24. Comparisation of different
growing concepts with Greenscheduler
• Principles:
• Average Morocco west-coast climate circumstances
• Small beef tomato (150 g) grafted on rootstock
• Planting begin August
• First flowering begin September
• First harvest begin November
• Last harvest medio June

25. Greenscheduler calculates with:
crop
density
global
radiation
flower
speed
artificial
fruit light
size

26. Greenscheduler Input
Blue is the light curve from Morocco west-coast
Yellow is desired light for the crop

27. The GreenScheduler
Light
conditions
Balance
Variety
Crop density
planning Load and
production
Result

28. 5 different growing concepts
Type greenhouse Brutto production Percentage class 1 nett production Increase nett
production
1.Traditional 29 kg 60% 17.5 kg
2.Traditional “+” 29 kg 75% 22 kg 25%
(+substrate)
3.Modern plastic, 33 kg 80% 26.5 kg 50%
substrate, simple
heating system
4.Glass, 43 kg 85% 37 kg 110%
Substrate,
Heating
5.”Semi- closed” 86 kg 85% 73 kg 400%
Interplant, 12 month
Substrate,
Cooling+heating

29. Production graphs
Traditional Modern plastic with ventilation, substrate, simple
heating system
Glass with heating,ventilation,substrate

30. Production planning of the “semi closed”
greenhouse

31. With “active” crop management and high tech tools in
Holland and USA:
“Semi Closed” Greenhouses produced 100 kg/m2

32. Morocco “traditional growing” “high tech” growing”
Morocco “traditional growing”: Morocco “high tech” growing:
• Climate is excellent • Better use of climate
• Companies are professional • More efficiency on water,
• Centre of tomato producers fertilizers, chemicals and
• Strong competitor in the utilisation surface
tomato producers match • Lower risk on diseases
• Production system is “passive” • Higher production
and can be more efficient • Better fruit quality
• Cleaner product
• Stronger market position
• “Active” management of the
greenhouse climate

33. “Active” management of the greenhouse
climate can be very profitable
Radiation
CO2
(plant) temperature
Feeding
humidity
Water

34. Conclusions
• Marocco west-coast is excellent for growing greenhouse tomatoes because of
moderate climate conditions.
• First step to improve is soil substrate = + 25%
• Next step “Active” management of greenhouse climate” will further increase
production and quality potential modern greenhouses are required (ventilation,
heating).
• Various concepts of growing could be succesfull in Morocco, but have to be tested
• All concepts could slightly vary in detail at different locations.
• Green Q / Improvement Centre can be your partner in this process of development
and modernization

35. Thanks for your attention!
www.greenq.nl