At Marc Geerts' strawberry farm in Verrebroek, Flanders, preparations are in full swing for the start of the new strawberry season. "In just over two weeks, we expect to begin, and we're satisfied with how everything looks so far. Especially now that everything is blooming nicely, the sunny weather is very welcome, and the strawberries are growing well," Marc says.
"You can also tell that people are starting to crave strawberries again now that the days are getting longer," he continues. "We'll start with the early variety, Favori, followed by Sonsation. We haven't experienced many issues so far and expect to offer good volumes again until November."
© Marc Geerts Aardbeien
The grower, who has been cultivating strawberries on substrate in greenhouses since 2008, supplies most of her strawberries to Coöperatie Hoogstraten but also sells directly through three vending machines. "We see a slight increase in that every year. The popularity of vending machines really surged during the COVID pandemic and has never really died down. The peak we saw back then has diminished somewhat, but with people's busy lifestyles, they still tend to grab strawberries from a vending machine outside regular shopping hours. It's then up to us to make sure the flavours and varieties are just right so that they keep coming back."
© Marc Geerts AardbeienMarc has three vending machines in Verrebroek, Meerdonk, and Sint-Gillis-Waas, with no immediate plans for expansion. "For our volumes, it's ideal. This way, we can sell them nicely. You shouldn't aim for too much and then end up with empty vending machines. The strawberry supply fluctuates throughout the season, and refilling them daily is quite intensive. We might consider relocating one vending machine, as it isn't performing as well as we'd like, but we need to evaluate that carefully."
Move to UV-C robot
Looking at the season's challenges, the grower quickly brings up mildew control. "In spring, we're not affected too much, but by autumn, it becomes one of the biggest challenges in strawberry cultivation. That's why we're considering investing in UV control instead of plant protection products."
© Jannick Flach | FreshPlaza.comThe UV-C robot, active at Gestelberries, demonstrated at the season opening of Coöperatie Hoogstraten
The use of UV-C in strawberry cultivation has boomed over the past two years. When serious mildew problems emerged in the summer of 2023, growers quickly began seeking alternatives to chemical spraying. UV-C technology helps combat powdery mildew, and those using robots for this purpose also save on labour, especially since the robots can operate at night—as demonstrated during a recent UV-C robot showcase by Coöperatie Hoogstraten.
"So it's also a very interesting step for us to take to reduce our use of crop protection products and combat the white mildew fungus more effectively. We haven't tested it ourselves yet, but we're already hearing positive feedback from many fellow growers. Several companies are working on this, so I'm confident there'll be a robot that fits our cultivation system. It's definitely on our investment radar and perhaps one of the most important challenges we're eager to tackle," Marc says.
© Marc Geerts Aardbeien
Experience the farm
Nevertheless, the entrepreneur remains confident in the cultivation process, which is why he's eager to reconnect people with the industry. "That's why we've joined 'Beleef de boerderij,' which allows schools to take guided tours of agricultural farms. In this way, we want to bring people closer to agriculture and horticulture again, so they can get a feel for it."
For more information:
Marc Geerts
Marc Geerts Aardbeien 
Zwaantje 52
9130 Verrebroek, Belgium
+32 479 65 24 15
marc.geerts.ver@telenet.be
www.marcgeerts.me