ThePartnership no. 16

The sun always shines in

The sun always shines in Finnish greenhouses Being independent - both in thoughts and actions - is an essential characteristic of the Finnish people. This is expressed both in their unique language and traditions, as well as in the strong demand for locally grown fresh vegetables. Modern greenhouses help to satisfy this demand. Markets Finland has approximately 5.5 million inhabitants, with most people living in the south and west of the country. About 20% of the population lives in or near the capital Helsinki, the largest city in the country by far. The greenhouse industry is spread across the southern part of the country, with a modest area of concentration around Närpes. The area under greenhouse cultivation has remained fairly constant over the years, but the number of professional companies is decreasing steadily, whilst the remaining companies continue to increase in size, as does the effect of modern cultivation technology. Vegetable cultivation According to Jarmo Lemström from Schetelig Oy, a wholesale company within the gardening sector, the Finnish greenhouse sector encompasses about 210 ha, divided over nearly 500 companies. “I think that we have about 100 ha of tomatoes in different varieties, 50 ha of cucumbers and 36 ha of lettuce and herbs. Sweet pepper is a relatively new crop and currently accounts for 8.5 ha, of which 6 ha is cultivated using grow light systems. This was also attempted in the 1990s, but it was not possible to achieve a higher price compared to the cheaper imported sweet peppers. Now the consumer is willing to pay more.” 26 | Partnership Partnership | 27