Thessaloniki, Greece \u2013 The table grape groups from the \u201cSmall Farm Adoption\u201d project at the American Farm School (AFS), a part of the \u201cNew Agriculture for a New Generation\u201d (NANG) program, have been recognized by the EU for their outstanding achievements. They were chosen by the European Commission\u2019s Smart Specialisation Platform as an implementation point, to show other member states how to grow grapes using smart technologies and to create a protocol for the next decade.<\/p>\n
The groups are creating an integrated system that will precisely monitor the cultivation, harvest, processing, and shipping of table grapes so that farmers and buyers will know as much as possible about their crop. \u201cWe use sensors to monitor and record all measurable data on the vines during the growing season. We use meteorological stations to predict weather conditions, pests, and diseases; soil analysis to control the soil substrate and nutrients needed for the next period; photonic technologies to monitor chlorophyll and nutrients in the leaves and the health and sweetness of the grapes without destroying the berries,” said Ilias Kalfas, project manager. “We are now moving on a storage and transport monitoring system from the fields to the final buyer (truckload sensors, low radiation antennas). We want the buyer to be able to see exactly how the grapes are grown, and at the same time, know the farmer’s name and see his face. If buyers trust you, they will trade with you. I believe that in two or three years, all major supermarket chains will demand this level of precision and traceability.”<\/p>\n
The project encourages the farmers to collaborate and has already created two officially recognized farmers\u2019 groups in table grapes. \u201cThe groups create a common company and merge their activities,\u201d Ilias said. \u201cThey produce and sell all their crops together, issue invoices, share the profits and the damages. This helps to raise the quality of the product because if you have one bad farmer, they all share the damages.\u201d Working together helps the groups win EU grants for facilities and product promotion. They also share investment costs and can attract larger customers. \u201cIf you are not a team, you don\u2019t have power because you won\u2019t be able to deliver the quantities that the markets need,\u201d said George Papadopoulos, a project mentor who grows Crimson Seedless grapes in Kilkis. \u201cI have a contract with a huge company from the UK called Jupiter. They want a truck of grapes per day, 25 tons. In order to deliver this quantity, I need 4000 stremmata (400 hectares). We prefer to have young farmers on these teams because they are open to learning. They see the results from the first year, and they\u2019re willing to grow with us.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe table grape sector is a very promising sector that has been neglected in previous decades. The winemaking industry is more or less vertical, but table grapes offer more profit, and we think the sector will get bigger and bigger in the coming years,\u201d Ilias said. \u201cWith only 20 stremmata (2 hectares) of table grapes, you can earn 30.000 euros profit,\u201d George said. \u201cWhat other industry in Greece can provide you with a profit like that?\u201d<\/p>\n