Project

GreenCHAINge Ornamentals

It is of the utmost national importance that the ornamental sector in the Netherlands retains its current leading position. Everything depends on the way in which the ornamental chain becomes more sustainable and reduces costs in the coming years. One of the most promising options is the development of multimodal sustainable distribution chains.

Project objectives

A significant increase in multimodal chains calls for optimum chain management (on a logistical and technical level) and knowledge development at company level. This involves variety
characteristics (lab technicians), greater control of harvest quality (growers) and optimum post-harvest treatment suitable for the transport modality chosen (trade) and the product in question. Intelligent chain monitoring guarantees this process and makes visible the residual batch quality at any point in the chain.

The aim to become more multimodal and reduce CO2 emission can be achieved by the participation of all relevant chain links (both production and trade) in this project and the mix of applied research and valorisation in practice.

Approach

There are three work groups working specifically on the problems of specific chains and products.

  1. Import of roses from Kenya: sea containers
  2. Export of potted plants: >800km train and short sea
  3. Export of cut flowers: mixed freight and train

Valorisation research is carried out within each work group (the private part of the project) and applied/fundamental research (the public part).

The research part (applied/fundamental) consists of:

  • Making and testing models (chain monitoring)
  • Technical post-harvest research: treatments, cooling, packaging, set points
  • Design of a new quality assurance system: GreenCHAINge
  • Tightening of transport protocols for the chains and products researched

Results

  • Various successful pilots involving sea freight and train transport
  • New knowledge on sea transport and storage of roses incorporated in recommendations/ transport protocol
  • Quality decay model for Anthurium and Phalaenopsis
  • New transport recommendations for various crops: required temperatures, pot soil moisture and new knowledge on post-harvest treatments
  • Cold chain guideline for chrysanthemums
  • CO2 tool to calculate CO2 reduction for new transport method
  • Input provided for development of decision support model for quality in rose chain (in association with Tuinbouw Digitaal)

More information