P'Petual Farm: Innovating for Sustainable Horticulture

Against the backdrop of the EvokeAg 2023 conference, SproutX was able to bring our alumni and friends on the long overdue producer tours with a mission to connect primary producers and growers with Agtech founders to get ‘boots on the ground’ and real on-farm exposure. Our goal for the founders is to validate their ideas, learn methods of agtech adoption, critical parts of the supply/value chain, and learn from best practices.

Where else is better to start learning about best practices in horticulture production than P'Petual Farm, the leading Australian greenhouse grower, producing high-quality vegetables for major retailers such as Coles, Woolies, Costco, Aldi, and green grocers? With over 20 years of experience, P’Petual has become a pioneer in sustainable agriculture, leveraging technology and innovation to optimize production processes, reduce environmental impact, and improve the quality and yield of its crops.

Nick Goode, Project Manager at P’Petual Holding, giving SproutX a tour of the greenhouses growing tom berries

We have learnt that one of the company's key innovations is its job management app, which enables efficient tracking and coordination of tasks across its 12 hectares of greenhouses. The app has streamlined operations, reduced errors, and increased productivity, allowing the team to focus on more strategic tasks.

Another area where P'Petual Farm stands out is in its approach to plant management. The company has developed specialized techniques for each of its crops, based on factors such as growth rate, harvest time, and cleaning requirements. The greenhouses are equipped with modern technology, including a Climate Control Computer that manages factors like heating, fogging, irrigation, plant nutrition, and shading during the growing process.

P'Petual Farm is committed to sustainability and reducing waste. For example, they are looking into ways to minimize waste from tomato vine disposal by creating biodegradable strings which might find some applications in the viticulture space.. The company is also exploring automation and robotics to reduce labor costs and improve efficiency. It has already developed a spray trolley with a fan system for automatic pollination and is working with Queensland University to create an autonomous robot for greenhouse work. The company is also using integrated pest management, using good bugs to control bad bugs and minimize the need for pesticides.

Machines shaking the tom berries out of the vines

While we were there, we got to witness how the tom berries are packed and shipped, starting with the pneumatic pistons that shake the fruits out of the vines. The detached fruits are then loaded onto a conveyor which drops them into an automatic sorting machine that sorts the fruits by colour and size. The sorted fruits are then added into an automatic packing machine that packs them into plastic containers which one would typically find as a finished product at the supermarket. .

Despite its successes, P'Petual Farm still faces several challenges. Nick Goode, Project Manager at P’Petual said labor is a major issue, especially during peak periods, and the company relies heavily on contract workers. Disease is another concern, with the team continually monitoring and treating any outbreaks. Finally, forecasting remains a challenge, with weather and other factors affecting yield and quality. However, the company is working with the University of South Australia to develop camera systems and other technologies to improve accuracy in forecasting.

P'Petual Farm is a shining example of how innovation and sustainability can drive success in agriculture. By leveraging technology, specialized techniques, and a commitment to reducing waste, the company has become a leader in greenhouse growing, producing high-quality vegetables that are in demand from major retailers. While challenges remain, the company's dedication to innovation and sustainability bodes well for its future success.

After P’Petual, the team headed to Thorndon Park Produce’s farm, an intensive horticulture business that grows a variety of crops, including spinach, silverbeet, rosemary, spring onion, beetroot, parsley, onion, radish, and coriander. Stay tuned for our next article about Thorndon Park Produce.