Baby Leaf salad production: the importance of weather monitoring units
At our production sites, we use Industry 4.0 and weather monitoring units to produce quality Baby Leaf salads according to agreed delivery schedules. Find out how.
For the agricultural sector, weather is a decisive variable, especially at a time like this where climate changes are the order of the day.
In OP Isola Verde we only produce baby leaf salads in greenhouses, and we are therefore protected against certain factors such as hailstorms, but the problem of high temperatures and the correct water supply needed by our crops affects us too.
Luckily, in addition to years of experience and good farming practices, we have also managed to protect ourselves thanks to agriculture 4.0, which is a valuable asset for farmers such as us. Here’s how.
Agriculture 4.0 at the service of efficiency
Our goal is to ensure that customers receive timely and quality Baby Leaf salad supplies: baby leaf salads that meet our standards and are delivered according to the agreed schedules, without delays caused by weather variables.
To achieve this we decided to rely on technology, introducing a range of machinery and tools to our production facilities that help us plan our agricultural activities to perfection.
By using state-of-the-art systems, analysing data, and consistent interventions, the growth of our Baby Leaf salads can be predicted in a weighted basis.
As for the optimisation of the Baby Leaf salad control and packaging lines, we have included automatic production systems and many work phases are now being carried out semi-automatically.
However the real innovation, in the true sense of the word, introduced to the agricultural sector, is the installation of weather monitoring units in our greenhouses, which allow us to optimise the Baby Leaf salad growth processes.
The advantages of weather monitoring units
Weather monitoring units are devices installed inside our greenhouses that monitor multiple parameters including humidity, greenhouse and ground temperatures, and the amount of light.
We can use these data to predict the needs of each type of crop, on a day-to-day basis, and calibrate the water supply accordingly so that the soil receives what it needs to grow healthy and genuine Baby Leaf salads.
The use of weather monitoring units does not turn agriculture into an exact science, but it does help us organise our work in the best possible manner and continue to meet the delivery schedules agreed with our customers, without foregoing the quality of Baby Leaf salads produced in a sustainable way whilst fully respecting the earth.
Procurement Manager
My goal is to optimise our agricultural production.
Every day I work to improve the business management system and engage the supplier members in the philosophy of continuous improvement.
I support the individual OP Isola Verde enterprises so they make the best use of their production capacities and guarantee quality baby leaf salads to our customers, time and time again.
