Norika, one of the largest potato cultivator in Germany, relies on the HARDI TWIN FORCE
Introduction
Meet Mr. Wolfgang Langehenke, Division Manager at Norika (Nordring Kartoffelzucht & Vermehrungs GmbH) in Kröpelin, Germany.
Norika is one of the largest potato cultivators in Germany, with over 3200 hectares of total cultivation area and approximately 1500 hectares used for potato farming in Kröpelin, Germany.
Located near the Baltic sea, the Kröpelin region frequently faces windy conditions. For many years, Norika has used the HARDI TWIN FORCE to ensure the best performance to overcome the challenges.
Take a look at the full video where Mr. Langehenke shares their experience of HARDI in a large scale potato cultivation.
Windy weather, hilly terrain, but successful potato farming
Mr. Langehenke says that one of the challenges for Norika is that the weather is often very windy. Additionally, the farms have very hilly terrain.
“It’s always windy here because of the proximity to the sea, which isn’t easy when spraying. But of course, that’s why we had the HARDI TWIN FORCE in operation before and have bought a new one now,” Mr. Langehenke.
HARDI TWIN FORCE booms have air-assisted spraying with adjustable air curtains. This means that the spray job can be done even in windy conditions as the air-assisted spraying gives better precision and coverage. Compared to conventional booms, the TWIN FORCE boom reduces the drift by 80% as shown by many tests and research.
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Precision and efficiency: Key benefits for Norika
Mr. Langehenke explains that the spray mist with HARDI TWIN is pushed further down to the plant, which is a major benefit. This helps them use their time and resources better and improve both the effectiveness and cost-efficiency of their operations.
One of the issues Norika had been to minimise the risk of affecting the neighbouring areas with active ingredients. Mr. Langehenke says that the plant protection products with TWIN are applied exactly where needed and the air-assisted spraying has made it more efficient.
“It is important that the canopy is opened by the air, and that the active ingredients reach the stem of the crop and TWIN does that," says Mr. Langehenke.
Saving on water and chemical usage with TWIN
"We have been saving both in water and the chemical usage. Normally potatoes are sprayed with 400 liters of water. And with the size of our company and the logistics involved, we've gone almost 100 litres below in water usage. In terms of chemical usage, I would say that we are at 10% chemical saving range right now. This is possible because we have an air-supported sprayer with the HARDI TWIN," says Mr. Langehenke from Norika.
Norika aims to minimise the environmental impacts
Norika operates under the motto of 'Farm to Fork'. Mr. Langehenke explains that Norika aims to reduce the use of plant protection products as much as possible and optimise the potato through soil cultivation.
Mr. Langehenke shares that grounds have potato beetles, and they do not wish to remove them. In general, they choose to take preventative measures in soil cultivation rather than treating them as the end measure.
"Just like humans, a potato that feels good is naturally less likely to get sick and is more resistant to environmental influences. So, the more optimal environmental conditionals are, the better and more resistant it is against other environmental influences," Mr. Langehenke.
Norika's outlook on the future of potato spraying cultivation
The future of plant protection in potato farming is all about precision, sustainability and efficiency. At Norika, Mr. Langehenke highlights that effectiveness is key—after all, the treatment has to work.
“As consumers, we all want high-quality food produced with minimal environmental impact. That’s why high technology will continue to gain acceptance. Farmers will continue to minimise the impact but at the same time, we also have to earn money somehow,” says Mr. Langehenke from Norika.
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