Lior Hessel Named Head of the Ag-Tech Division of Cukierman & CO. Investment House, Ltd.

Lior Hessel, CEO of Growponics, has been named as Head of the Ag-Tech Division of Cukierman & Co. Investment House, Ltd., headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel. In this position, Mr. Hessel will lead the ag-tech investment banking activities that are becoming more strategic and important in the last years. Founded in 1993, Cukierman & Co. [...]

Perfection Drives EU Food Regulations; Absurd, Some Say

February 19, 2011, Growponics Ltd.: Who doesn’t want the perfect looking, tasting, and nutritious fruit or vegetable? Of course, we all do; but it comes with a price.

The EU has had up to 34 regulations on what constitutes “the perfect” fruit or vegetable that is graded as: Extra, Class I and Class II. Well, many countries have such guidelines that also control prices based on grade, so we, the consumer don’t pay more for an inferior product than it is worth.

However, such regulations that controls everything to the minutest detail, such as disqualifying a cucumber if it has too much bend, and a banana if it is too straight. I have even met a farmer in and EU country who grows cucumbers who told me of EU inspectors in his fields with measuring devices to be sure his cucumbers were long enough, not too fat or too thin, and had the correct bend.

China Drought Could Affect World Food Prices

Keith Bradsher (New York Times – February 12, 2011) writes about the global impact on global food prices because of droughts in China, floods in Australia.

A severe drought is threatening the wheat crop in China, the world’s largest wheat producer, resulting in shortages of drinking water for people and livestock. China has been essentially self-sufficient in grain for decades, for national security reasons. Any move by China to import large quantities of food in response to the drought could drive international prices even higher than the record levels recently reached.

Healthy Attributes of Lettuce

Lettuce, which belongs to the composite family, is native to Europe and Asia but today is grown throughout the world. Lettuce can be grown in a wide variety of soils including marshy and sandy, as well as hydroponically, which offers lettuces of a higher quality, texture, taste and health, an important factor in today’s marketplace. Ample sunlight, cool temperatures and plenty of moisture are essential for a well developed lettuce. High temperature can lead to inferior quality.

Lettuce contains alkaloids which are responsible for its therapeutic effect. Although all varieties of lettuce have low calories, each variety has different nutrient content.

Growponics Americas Signs Over US $120 Million in US Projects

Growponics Americas, a partner with Growponics, Ltd., has signed three projects in the USA in Nevada, Texas, and Indiana.

Growponics Nevada, LLC (“GPNV”) and Growponics Texas, LLC (“GPTX”) will be major hydroponic cities providing leafy vegetables and herbs to both states. GPNV, estimated at approximately $90 million, will consist of more than 60 acres, and as many as 10 large greenhouses. Each structure will have a five acre footprint, netting 4.5 acres of growing space, and can produce more than 4.8 million heads of lettuce per year (approximately 13,000 heads harvested per day).

Growponics, Ltd. (International) Signs Agreement with Growponics Americas, LLC

Growponics, Ltd. (International) (GPL) signed an agreement to partner with Growponics Americas, LLC (GPA) to expand its markets into North and South America.

GPLs unique, Israeli, concentrated-growth, floating-bed system is being introduced to North America for the first time. Growponics can offer buyers healthy, hydroponic, high quality vegetables, herbs and fruits at competitive market prices, delivered from a local source. The target market is the restaurant, hotel, and grocery store industry.