Soilless growing, hydroponics, vertical farming main buyer country

When they talk aboutsoilless cultivation, immediately imagine sterile laboratories, but in reality these are dirty rubber boots and a constant struggle with the electrical conductivity of solutions. The main misconception is to consider hydroponics a panacea, although without understanding the ionic balance you can destroy the entire crop in a day. It is especially difficult to explain to customers from the UAE why, given their budget, you cannot simply buy Dutch installations and forget about the problems - local water with a high salt content makes adjustments to any standard solutions.

Hydroponics: between theory and practice

Our first project for a client from Qatar failed precisely because of the overestimation of ready-made solutions. They installed a drip irrigation system with Dutch sensors, but did not take into account that at a temperature of 45°C the nutrient solution begins to change pH literally in hours. We had to redo the entire tank cooling system and add additional control circuits. Now in such cases we immediately offer modular solutions fromShandong Linyao Intelligent Agriculture Technology Co.,Ltd— their water filtration equipment is initially designed for difficult conditions.

By the way, about filtration - many people underestimate the importance of water preparation. In the same Qatar, we spent three weeks selecting reverse osmosis membranes until we settled on a system from the mentioned company. Their filters cope with mineralization up to 3500 ppm, which is critical for peppers and tomatoes. But even with good equipment, you have to constantly monitor - twice we lost crops due to a sudden jump in chlorine in municipal water.

The most difficult thing in hydroponics is not assembling the system, but training the staff to react to changes. I remember how in a greenhouse near Dubai, workers did not clean the dropper nozzles for months, until a massive death of lettuce began. Now we always include training in Russian or English in the contract - depending onbuyer's main country. By the way, Arabs often demand documentation in Arabic, but technicians usually work with English versions.

Vertical farming: is it profitable?

Vertical farms are a completely different story. Everyone wants multi-tiered structures with LED lighting, but doesn't consider the operating costs. A six-level farm was built for a client from Saudi Arabia; in the end, 60% of the cost was spent on cooling and ventilation. LEDs heat less than HPS lamps, but with a planting density of 25 plants per m2, a powerful climate system is still needed.

Experience comes in handy hereShandong Linyao Intelligent Agriculture Technology Co.,Ltdin the design of smart parks. Their engineers proposed zoning with different microclimatic zones - the lower tiers for crops with low light consumption, the upper ones for light-loving crops. This reduced energy consumption by 18%, although the initial investment increased.

The most unobvious thing about vertical farming is the logistics within the farm. With eight tiers, special lifts for personnel and a well-thought-out system for transporting the substrate are needed. In one project we used conveyor belts to move pots between tiers - it worked, but we had to strengthen the frame due to vibrations. We are currently testing modular shelving from Chinese manufacturers, but for now, hot-dip galvanized steel structures are more reliable.

Features of working with different regions

There are specifics with clients from the UAE and Qatar - they are willing to pay for equipment, but require immediate payback. We have to combine technologies: for example, in desert areas we use hybrid systems with solar panels for power supply and traditional cooling for stability.Buyer's primary countryoften dictates not only the budget, but also architectural solutions - the same Arab customers want farms to look aesthetically pleasing and often require glass facades with decorative lighting.

With Russian specifics it is more difficult - our clients often save on automation. We have to prove that one operator with a remote control system can service 500 m2 of greenhouses, and not 50 m2 with manual control. Solutions fromShandong Lingyao Co.,Ltd— their frequency automatic equipment allows you to smoothly adjust parameters without constant intervention.

By the way, about automation, its capabilities are often overestimated. In the same Qatar, they installed a system with EC/pH sensors that transmitted data every 10 minutes. But during sandstorms, the sensors became clogged with dust, and it was necessary to organize daily washing. Now we include in our contracts mandatory maintenance with local specialists - remote control is good, but no one has canceled the physical inspection.

Equipment and adaptation

Water filters are a completely separate issue. Standard reverse osmosis systems do not always cope with high mineralization - there are up to 5000 ppm of salts in groundwater in the UAE. It was necessary to develop cascade systems with additional purification stages. Water filtration equipment fromhttps://www.lyzhihuinongye.ruproved to be better than its European counterparts in such conditions - apparently, the experience of working with the complex waters of Asia has an effect.

The system for integrating water and fertilizers is also not easy. Dutch installations are designed for stable water quality, while in the same emirates the composition may change seasonally. It was necessary to supplement the standard units with additional sensors and control valves. By the way, remote control of valves is a must have for large projects, but duplication is needed in case of communication failures.

Designing hydraulic structures for greenhouse complexes is generally aerobatics. In Qatar, for example, it was necessary to build additional reservoirs to collect rainwater (yes, there are sometimes downpours there), plus a drainage treatment system. No experienceShandong Linyao Intelligent Agriculture Technology Co.,Ltdthe construction of hydraulic structures did not work out - their engineers suggested using polypropylene containers instead of concrete ones, which speeded up the installation three times.

Prospects and mistakes

We are now actively developing the area of smart agricultural parks - these are no longer just greenhouses, but integrated solutions with energy-saving technologies. For a client in Oman, we are building a park with a closed water cycle and using geothermal energy for cooling. I wonder whatbuyer's main countryis beginning to influence the technology stack - Arab investors are more willing to finance 'green' projects with a lower carbon footprint.

A common mistake is underestimating climatic factors. In Russia, for example, they forget about snow loads on the roofs of greenhouses, in the UAE - about sandstorms. Once the ventilation system had to be completely changed after sand blocked the blinds. Now we always study weather data for 10 years before designing.

What I definitely understood over the years of work is that groundless technologies are not universal. What works in Holland may not work in Saudi Arabia. It is necessary to adapt not only equipment, but also agricultural technologies. For example, for the Middle East it was necessary to develop special nutrition protocols for tomatoes with a high calcium content - due to high temperatures they are poorly digestible. Without practical experience, such nuances cannot be taken into account.