Soilless cultivation main buyer country

When they talk aboutsoilless cultivation, Dutch greenhouses or Israeli technologies are often presented, but the reality of supplies shows a different picture - the main importers of equipment are located where traditional farming faces strict limits. In our practice, throughShandong Linyao Intelligent Agriculture Technology Co.,LtdIt is clear that buyers from the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar dominate orders for drip systems and hydroponic systems. This is not an accident: desert regions are forced to compensate for the lack of arable land, and our turnkey projects? allow you to launch a greenhouse complex in 4-6 months, even in sandstorm conditions.

Why did the Middle East become the main market?

In 2022, we supplied a system with EC/pH sensors to Riyadh that adjusted the nutrient solution for tomatoes in real time. The customer initially had doubts - he was afraid that local operators would not be able to cope with the automation. We had to adapt the control interface to Arabic and add simplified protocols. Now they collect up to 40 kg/m2 per year, although in the first months there were losses due to errors in sensor calibration.

Customers from the UAE often ask for “salted” ones. solutions - their water contains up to 2,000 ppm of salts. We developed custom filters with reverse osmosis for them, but we were faced with the fact that the cost of operation was higher than calculated. The drainage recycling scheme had to be revised, which added 15% to the project budget. Such nuances are rarely taken into account in theoretical market reviews.

Interestingly, Qatar prefers modular installations, apparently due to limited territories. Their growers often request compact vertical hydroponic systems, but then experience overheating in the upper tiers. We tried different cooling options, including evaporative panels, but the optimal solution was to separate the power circuits for different levels.

Technical difficulties when adapting equipment

Our websitelyzhihuinongye.ruregularly receives requests for drip irrigation systems for date palms - a seemingly classic crop for the region. But when we installed the first lines in Ras al-Khaimah, it turned out that local sandstorms clog the emitters in 2-3 weeks. We had to urgently modify the design of the filters, installing three-stage cleaning with automatic washing.

Another painful point is the logistics of fertilizers. European mixtures are not always suitable for water with a high carbonate content. We have started working with local fertilizer manufacturers in Dubai, but their composition is often inconsistent. Every time you have to carry out a chemical analysis and reconfigure the dosing pumps. This increases the time frame for launching projects by 20-30%.

Last year they tried to use solar panels to power the controllers - it would seem an ideal solution for desert regions. But dust reduced efficiency by 40% after just a month, and cleaning required daily staff intervention. They refused and returned to hybrid solutions with diesel generators.

Features of working with different cultures

Cucumbers in hydroponics are in steady demand, but local varieties are often not suitable for closed systems. In Oman, we spent six months selecting hybrids that could withstand night temperatures of +28°C without dropping the ovaries. In the end, we settled on Israeli lines, but we had to redo the ventilation system - they added adiabatic cooling.

Strawberries are a different story. Customers want to receive berries all year round, but do not consider the cost of lighting in hot climates. LED lamps heat up additionally, so you have to provide double cooling reserves. Our engineers calculated that in such conditions the payback of the project stretches to 5-7 years instead of the planned 3-4.

Green crops - lettuce, basil - turned out to be the most problem-free. But there are nuances here too: Kuwait abandoned NFT systems after the temperature of the solution in the pipes reached +35°C. We switched to drip irrigation in coconut substrate with forced cooling of the tanks.

Organizational challenges

Recruiting local staff is a constant headache. Graduates of UAE agricultural universities know the theory well, but do not have the skills to work with automation. We have developed three-week courses directly on site, but the turnover reaches 60% - local specialists do not want to work “in the field”.

Customs clearance of equipment is a separate nightmare. pH sensors from China were delayed for 2-3 months due to certification. Now we import components through Turkey, it’s easier with documents there. But this adds 12-15% to the cost.

The seasonality of orders is also unexpected: the peak occurs in October-January, when the temperature becomes acceptable for installation work. In summer, activity drops to almost zero - even we don’t risk sending installers to +45°C.

Prospects and mistakes

We are currently testing aquaponics systems for the UAE - a combination of fish farming and hydroponics. But we were faced with the fact that local consumers are skeptical about fish grown in a closed system. You may have to focus only on the plant part.

The biggest mistake is trying to standardize solutions. Each emirate has its own standards for water use; Saudi Arabia has different requirements for energy efficiency. Now we make an individual calculation for each project, even if the objects are located 50 km from each other.

I see the future in hybrid solutions: partly hydroponics, partly traditional beds for crops that are unprofitable to grow artificially. Our clients are beginning to understand this - recent orders include combined systems, where 60% of the area is dedicated tosoilless cultivation, and 40% - under soil with drip irrigation.