In addition to providing protection to orchards from weather events and Drosophila suzukii, VOEN covers significantly reduce labor costs for opening and closing orchards. Currently, structures are installed all over the world and are manufactured in Germany under strict quality protocols.
For several years now, the market has offered various alternatives for covering and protecting orchards. However, these involve a large investment that does not end with the installation of the covers, since their management, closing and opening requires a large amount of labor, which forces new costs to be incurred.
Cherry grower Reinhard Vöhringer from southern Germany was one of the farmers who opted for this type of cover for his crops, but his fruit continued to have problems with firmness and quality caused by insects. In addition, the cost of labor and the concern that the covers would not break, generated in this ingenious farmer the need to create a comprehensive solution.
His inspiration was nature itself, more precisely the wind; he began to observe the movement of cherry leaves generated by the air and that is how the blankets were born. VOEN, structures that protect crops from inclement weather, such as rain, hail or frost, while providing optimal ventilation inside and maximum resistance.
These covers consist of a resistant anti-hail net with waterproof plastic covers woven into them, which last 8-10 years; unique in the world, they combine the highest technology in terms of weaving machines and exclusive materials, which gives rise to a product that is already patented internationally.
Operation and advantages
One of the great advantages of these structures is that after their installation, there is no need to worry about moving the covers over and over again, a task that requires a high demand of manpower; this technological product has a zipper system that has never before allowed opening and closing a crop cover so easy. In addition, the zipper allows the garden to be completely protected from insects, even from Drosophila suzukii, It provides complete closure both at the ridges and rows, as well as at the edges of the garden.
In the event of weather events, their efficiency is total; in the event of rain or hail, the weight of these keeps the covers closed, causing the water to drain in a controlled manner through the pores of the layer between the rows. Once the weather event passes and the sky clears or the wind begins to blow, it will subtly lift the flaps of the covers, providing natural ventilation under the cover, reducing humidity through the flaps and reducing the accumulated heat. This helps protect the fruit from adverse effects such as cracking.
Another relevant aspect is that the covers VOEN They offer an unrivalled combination of high wind tolerance and, in addition, a microclimate, which allows for obtaining healthy plants with high yield and quality, in addition to reduced labour associated with the work of the covers (2 days per hectare).
Finally, it is worth highlighting the simplicity of their installation, which is carried out using self-supporting clips, creating a tight and firm seal. They do not require complex structures to be installed, nor cables at mid-height, which promotes the development of agricultural work and even the possibility of mechanizing pruning. In addition, each farmer can define the material of the posts that will be used for the installation of the covers, whether wood, steel or concrete.
Without a doubt, this is an innovation that makes an invaluable contribution to agriculture. According to Voen, this product was created with the physiology of plants in mind, in order to achieve the maximum possible yields in the species being protected.
