Vegetable Innovation Storyline - Portrait of Local Market in Ljubljana
The areas of vegetable production cover less than 2% of arable land in the Ljubljana Metropolitan Region (LMR) – Slovenia. More than 1,100 farmers are producing for the market on 1,400 ha, which equates to 1.27 ha per farmer. Vegetable production has a dispersed structure and lacks weather protected cultivation areas (glasshouses). Weather protected areas cover only 85 ha and produce 6% of vegetables sold in the market. Production is generally seasonal. Environmentally friendly integrated production covers 977 ha (30% of total areas) or 65% of the production sold in the market. Organic production covers 180 ha and is expanding. Self-supply in Slovenia is 37% on all vegetables and 48% for fresh vegetables. Consumption is 97 kg/person. Home production doesn’t follow demand. Imports are increasing. Slovenia has good resources of geothermal energy and a good practice of production technology in greenhouses. Its logistic position in central Europe and natural climate conditions in LjMR are favourable for greenhouse production. The area has more sun in winter then The Netherlands and less sun in summer than Spain, which are both very intensive producers of vegetables. Area has a high availability of thermal energy from geothermal sources and thermal power stations. Biogas power stations also have potential in future vegetable production. Requirements for the production of higher quality (e.g. organic) foods are stricter in Slovenia than in other EU member states hindering mass production. Producers are capable of production at the LAS and MAS scale as well as in GAS for selected products. Logistics at MAS scale is well established. The agricultural land fund is large enough to widely support MAS production model. Production technology and production planning need further improvements due to knowledge limitations.
Innovation GAS: Requirements for production need to be set to an equal basis as in other member states – producers will become more competitive (governance). Production with use of energy from geothermal sources, biogas and thermal power stations. Establish a Food Hub Agricultural Development Park in the Region as the third European Centre of vegetable production.
To reach that: With the physical establishment of the third centre for vegetable production. The redesign of the roles and processes in the supply chain has to happen. The customer order lead times will get reduced. Logistical processes are synchronize to the consumer and producer demand.
Innovation MAS: Standardisation. Establishment of regional Food Hub and agricultural development park (all type of farmers – from commodity production type and size). Logistic improvements – supply in the morning the customers and pick up at the producers at afternoon. Establishment of fito-trons (plant factories) for big users (e.g. catering).
To reach that: Logistical decisions are made and coordinated jointly between producers and wholesalers. Production in fito-trons requires redesign of the roles and processes in the supply chain. The customer becomes producer. This drastically shortens the order times.
The Landscape Park (Krajinski Park) Ljubljansko Barje in cooperation with local municipalities, producers (vegetable, fruit, honey, eggs, meat, milk) and processors (pickled vegetables, jam, juice, dairy products, flour, oil, dried fruit) introduced local markets with harmonized marketplaces and market days in settlements around the park, allowing the producers a higher income and the consumer a wider choice. The project is called Marsh Basket (Barjanski Cekarček). Most markets and fairs are held on Saturday mornings. Previously, farmers were fragmented and disorganised because they did not have the necessary marketing and organisation skills, which are now offered by the Park and local municipalities. Local markets and information on internet sites bring additional promotion for farmers and lead the customer directly to the farm also outside the market days.
Useful links:
http://www.mko.gov.si/si/delovna_podrocja/kmetijstvo/kmetijski_trgi/sadje_in_zelenjava/
http://www.ljubljanskobarje.si/barjanski-cekarcek/pridelovalka/pridelovalec
http://www.ljubljanskobarje.si/barjanski-cekarcek/lokalne-trznice-in-sejmi