In Tyrol, an average of 40,000 tons of vegetables are harvested each year. The market defines strict guidelines in terms of appearance and dimensions. Even the highest quality products often cannot find their way into the market even though they are suitable for consumption. Of course, there are also residues that are no longer suitable for human consumption. For these residues, however, there are other recycling options.
The central question of this project is to evaluate how much of the cultivated vegetables actually go on sale and how much is sorted out in the production chain. In the existing surveys, depending on the vegetable variety, often only marketable products are recorded. The aim is to close the gap between cultivation and sale and create a recycling concept for both food and waste. Therefore it is necessary to survey the operational structures of vegetable farming in Tyrol. Depending on the type of vegetable and production method, the vegetables are graded in different ways. These processes are surveyed as well. This should make it possible to establish resource management for Tyrolean vegetable production.
A broad-based project consortium characterizes the project within the framework of the Tyrolean science promotion. In addition to the MCI, the following are involved:
Thanks to this extensive network, most of the questions in this project can be solved with the right contact persons. The most important partners, however, will be the Tyrolean farmers, without whom this project would not be possible.
For further information, please get in touch with:
Benjamin Hupfauf Research & Teaching Assistant +43 512 2070 – 3243 benjamin.hupfauf@mci.edu
According to the specifications, the natural shape is often not suitable for sale. Photo: Franz Pfiffl/Karakter Ernte.
