Gradual shift from traditional cultivation to Hydroponics in Mauritius
Hydroponics involves growing crops in a soil-less medium, where the plant is supported either by water (in water culture) or a solid substrate other than soil (in substrate culture). In order to grow crops under hydroponics culture, a well-maintained Greenhouse is required, whereby the plants are cultivated under a controlled environment (Temperature, Relative Humidity, irrigation, fertilisation, pests & diseases, and other external weather conditions). The different terms used to describe hydroponics are nutri-culture, water-culture, substrate culture, gravel-culture, sand culture, rockwool culture, Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) etc. The type of culture depends on the medium being used and the most popular one in Mauritius is the substrate culture and the most common substrate being used is coco-peat. Since the crops are grown in a soil-less medium, the nutrients required by the plant needs to be provided. This is done through a fertigation system (irrigation and fertilisation done at the same time). The nutrient solution is automatically mixed by a computer system (depending on the crop nutrient requirement) and both macro and micro nutrients are provided to the crops. In a hydroponics system, more crops can be grown on the same area of land compared to the traditional farming since the crops grow vertically and there is more production/area.
Sweet Pepper grown under hydroponics culture in a Greenhouse |
Fertigation System used for hydroponics production |
Computer system controlling nutrient solution |
Mr. Vikash Ramtohul is 38 years old and is engaged in agriculture for the past 15 years. Currently, he is cultivating sweet-pepper under hydroponics production, which is also a family business operating under the name of Keebec Hydrotech Ltd. Agriculture has always been part of of his life as his father was engaged in crop production and after school, he used to help him in the field.
With time, agriculture had become his passion and after secondary school, he decided to follow his father’s footsteps and ventured into crop production. He started with open-field cultivation, and practised the same for nearly 7 years. But one day one of his clients told him about hydroponics production and suggested that he think about it. Considering the challenges he was facing in the traditional open-field cultivation (mainly labour shortage, high cost of production, pest and disease outbreak, unfavourable weather conditions), he decided to shift from traditional farming to hydroponics production.
Sweet-pepper production under hydroponics
It’s been 6 years since Mr. Vikash is producing crops under hydroponics culture at Bassin Road, Quatre-Bornes (a town in the central part of Mauritius). He owns 3 Greenhouses (two Greenhouses of 450 Metre square and one of 614 Metre square). He started by producing tomato for two years and then shifted to sweet-pepper production. According to him, the sweet-pepper plant can produce up to 1 year.
According to Mr. Vikash, for someone to be a successful hydroponics grower, he/she should know the following steps:
- Preparation of site
- All cultural practices from seedlings production
- Pest and disease control
- Fertigation Management
Marketing
Mr. Vikash sells his products to re-sellers and also to supermarkets and hotels. For him, marketing is not really a problem.
2) Service Providers
- Growing population and increasing number of tourists
- Agricultural lands converted into residential areas or shopping malls
- Climate change leading to unfavourable weather conditions and outbreak of new pests and diseases
- Lack of labour
Very interesting post. I like it. Can you put me in contact with Mr. Vikash? And if possible, can you guide me to where to obtain the information present in the first part.
good
Thanks. Yes, sure. I’ve sent you a message on Facebook..
Hi is it possible to give me a contact number so I can contact Mr Vikash..
Thank you.
hi Nawsheen ,hope you are fine ,i’m koonal,your project work is very good,could you please if it’s possible to sent me vikash contact num,thanks
hello nawsheen,is it possible to get the contact of mr vikash plz
thanks
Nice post.. Very informative.. Keep it up
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Very Nice post. I like it. Very informative. Thankyou…….
FERTIGATION
Drip irrigation is one such technology, which has assumed great importance in the recent times. In the present situation when the irrigated area is increasing, ground water table is dwindling and availability of surface water for irrigation is getting reduced, drip irrigation is the only answer to meet the growing demand of water.
Drip Irrigation is the most modern technique of applying water directly to the root zone of the plant in right quantity at the right time and at the right place.
For More Details visit http://sujayirrigations.com/
DRIP EMITTERS
Drip irrigation is one such technology, which has assumed great importance in the recent times. In the present situation when the irrigated area is increasing, ground water table is dwindling and availability of surface water for irrigation is getting reduced, drip irrigation is the only answer to meet the growing demand of water.
Drip Irrigation is the most modern technique of applying water directly to the root zone of the plant in right quantity at the right time and at the right place.
For More Details visit http://sujayirrigations.com/
DRIP EMITTERS
Drip irrigation is one such technology, which has assumed great importance in the recent times. In the present situation when the irrigated area is increasing, ground water table is dwindling and availability of surface water for irrigation is getting reduced, drip irrigation is the only answer to meet the growing demand of water.
Drip Irrigation is the most modern technique of applying water directly to the root zone of the plant in right quantity at the right time and at the right place.
For More Details visit http://sujayirrigations.com/
Good job! It is great that you are able to share interesting insights about how hydroponics gardening is done in Mauritius.
Hi Nawsheen, Ayoushee here. Can pls provide me ur email address or other contact details?
Thanks
It is very helpful tips for me. I defiantly use your tips in my work. Thank you for nice tips.
Hydroponics
The altered hydroponic techniques are: flood and drain, passive hydroponics, drip or sprinkler and water culture.Hydroponics Systems Toronto
A huge round of applause, keep it up.
see more
Thanks for info 🙂
Fantastic knowledge is shared about hydroponic growing. People having really good knowledge about hydroponic gardening can check their knowledge with this Hydroponic Gardening Quiz.
i need info about the equipments for the setting up of the hydroponic garden. where to have them in mauritius?
Hi Nawsheen,
Very useful information. Where can i obtain information about equipments that is required for setting up hydroponic garden.
can you give us more info on the fertigation system and how to build it?
Most ready made systems are very expensive.
hi…i wanted to know what is the app cost of a greenhouse and where can we it i mauritius or if you can get me a contact number. thanks.
I wish to have more info about marketing for hydroponic.
all my formalities have been done with DBM and has been appoved and i’ll be starting within 1 month.
It will be gratefull if u could revert to me as soon as possible.
I wish to have some information about the marketing.
here’s my contact Num 7464412.
Hi
First Thanks for sharing all these with us. Very informative.
I am new to this and would like to start.
1st question : where can one get net cups in Mauritius??
Thanks for your answer
Regards
Luke
Hi Nawsheen…if you still have Mr Vikash number, can you please send it to me on varsha22@hotmail.co.uk
regards varsha.
Hello,
I represent DGM and would like to share the new design of hydroponic garden at your own place. You can visit http://domeguysmauritius.com for more details. We build Geodesic Dome for hydroponics and if you feel like this new structure will benefit you, do contact us.
Thank you.
I have a hydroponik in Grand Bois am new in this i need help to care and for a formation in this plss can u help me