Greenhouse complex Angel Metlarov saves human labor and water resources, optimizes the labor cost and minimizes human errors with ONDO
Results achieved throughout the first 4 months of using ONDO
- 30% less human resource used
30% less water consumed
20% less energy consumed (electricity, gas, fuel)
20% less fertilized used
- More than 2x faster reaction in case of equipment failure in any of the greenhouses
ONDO allowed me to achieve significant cut in human resource needed on the farm. I can easily start irrigating from my phone, there is no need for staff responsible for opening and closing the irrigation valves, there is no human error. I am really content with ONDO, we are still adjusting the system because of the great variety of crops grown, but I am already saving so much time!
Angel Metlarov, owner of greenhouse complex Angel MetlarovThe Challenges
Challenges
Greenhouse complex Angel Metlarov is a showcase for a farm that is flexible and takes advantage of all opportunities for optimization of processes and economical efficiency.
The greenhouse production allows the farm to grow 3 crops in each of the greenhouses. The goal is early produce, while the price of competing imported vegetables and berries is still high. The rich variety of vegetables (pepper, eggplant, cucumbers and others) is grown primarily for the needs of the local market, represented by loyal customers won over the years. Various berry crops are also grown because of the stable market demand for those, and the plans of the owner is to expand the volume of the berry produce.
With so many different crops grown, there is a need for easy, centralized and accurate management and monitoring of the irrigation and fertigation processes for all crops. At the same time, the lack of qualified labor force and the many human errors forced the owner of the greenhouse complex to start looking for solutions allowing to automate those processes.
ONDO solutions were recommended to Greenhouses Angel Metlarov by another farmer working with our team.
The Solutions
- Automated precise irrigation and fertigation with ONDO
- Total farm property controlled by ONDO – 0.7 ha of greenhouses
In greenhouse complex Angel Metlarov ONDO automates the precise irrigation and fertigation for all crops, in all 14 tunnel greenhouses. Initially the farm owner decided to give ONDO a try by automating just part of the greenhouses. After seeing the first results, however, the owner requested that all other greenhouses get added to the ONDO automation.
The fertigation is accomplished via 4 Venturi injectors (3 for fertilizers, 1 for acid) and each of them is being controlled by an electromagnetic valve and 1 booster bump. There is an inverter drilling pump installed, and the data from it is visualized in ONDO. The monitoring of the pump parameters allows to instantly notify the team in case of system failures.
Each of the crops grown requires a different amount of water and a specific fertigation recipe, in each stage of its growth. Thanks to the easy and flexible irrigation control, with ONDO Greenhouse complex Angel Metlarov can control all irrigation and fertigation processes, for each crop. The fertigation recipes themselves can be remotely defined and controlled by the farm agronomist. When the crop grown gets changed, the irrigation schedules and fertigation recipes get updated in a fast and easy manner.
Right now the farm does not use any labor force for the management of the farm irrigation and fertigation processes. The entire control and management of those processes is carried out by the owner of the farm via his mobile device.
The Results
30% less human resource used
30% less water consumed
20% less energy used (electricity, gas, fuel)
20% less fertilizer used
- More than 2x faster reaction in case of equipment failure in some of the greenhouses
For the owner of greenhouse complex ‘Angel Metlarov’ the major benefit from using ONDO is the possibility to manage the farm precision irrigation and fertigation processes with no need for human staff. There is lack of qualified labor force in the region, and the staff of 4 people permanently employed in the farm are already fully used for other activities on the farm. Thanks to the option for remote monitoring and control, the services of an agronomist are being used remotely, with no need for physical presence at the farm.
The water supplied via drilling pump is used in an optimal way, and the water savings realized, compared to previous periods, are more than 30%. The farm is also reporting significant fertilizer and energy savings. Thanks to the automated notifications, the farm staff can react to equipment failures in any of the 14 greenhouses in a much faster manner.
Last but not least, for the team at ONDO it is extremely important, that a farmer who has not used so far digital technologies for the agriculture, has managed to start using ONDO software platform and become really proficient with it in a very short time, effectively and remotely managing his irrigation and fertigation processes.
About greenhouse complex Angel Metlarov
- Greenhouses for peppers, cucumbers, eggplant and other vegetables, as well as for berries
- 14 tunnel greenhouses with total arable land of 0.7 ha
- Svilengrad, region of Haskovo, Bulgaria
The owner of the greenhouse complex – Angel Metlarov – has been working in the field of agriculture throughout the past 40 years. He has had rich experience with numerous types of greenhouses, has grown many different crops, and throughout all those years has been constantly looking for ways to improve and optimize his farm, to take advantage of any new, improved methods for agriculture.
Thanks to his vast experience, nowadays the farmer owns and manages 14 tunnel greenhouses, each with size 200 м2, 400 м2 and 500 м2, in which he is growing peppers, eggplant, cucumbers and other vegetables, as well as various berry fruits. Part of the plants are being grown with hydroponics. The greenhouse produce is sold to retail stores and warehouses, and its high quality has won the farm numerous loyal customers.
Considering the variety of the crops grown, each with its specific irrigation and fertigation requirements, as well as the different size of the greenhouses, this is one of the ONDO precision farming automations that has a higher level of complexity.
