Elevated gutters at working height
Gutters were set at working height so picking, runner removal and inspection happen without bending. Over a long harvest season this is one of the largest controllable costs in strawberry production.
Saudi Arabia · Strawberry
Commercial Greenhouse Project: 8,000 m² Elevated Strawberry Facility in Saudi Arabia
A premium fruit project where fruit quality and harvest ergonomics mattered more than raw production volume.
- Country
- Saudi Arabia
- Growing area
- 8,000 m² (0.8 ha)
- Greenhouse type
- Glass greenhouse with high-transmission diffuse roof
- Crop
- Strawberry
Overview
Project overview
The commercial and technical starting point for this greenhouse project.
- Country
- Saudi Arabia
- Region
- Middle East
- Crop
- Strawberry (day-neutral, premium fresh)
- Growing area
- 8,000 m² (0.8 ha)
- Greenhouse type
- Glass greenhouse with high-transmission diffuse roof
- Growing system
- Elevated coco coir gutters at working height with drip fertigation
- Project status
- Design and supply coordination completed
Customer objective
The client targeted the premium retail and hospitality segment, where imported strawberries arrive with limited shelf life and inconsistent grade. The objective was fruit quality and week-on-week continuity at a price point that supported a higher capital cost per square metre, rather than the lowest cost per kilogram.
Challenge
Project challenge
Strawberry is unforgiving: fruit quality responds quickly to root temperature, humidity and pollination conditions.
- High daytime temperatures that push root zone temperature above the range where fruit quality holds.
- Very low humidity, which stresses the crop and reduces bumblebee pollination activity — and therefore fruit shape.
- A premium market that grades on size, shape and shelf life, so any pollination or humidity failure appears immediately as unsellable fruit.
- A high labour cost per harvested kilogram in a crop that is picked repeatedly over a long season.
01
Solution provided by Aegis
The design treated fruit quality and harvest labour as the two variables that determined project return.
Root zone temperature control
Substrate volume, gutter material and irrigation frequency were specified together, with cooled irrigation water available at peak, to hold root temperature in the range where fruit quality is retained.
Humidity strategy for pollination
High-pressure fogging was specified with the climate control strategy so humidity could be lifted during the pollination window, protecting bumblebee activity and fruit shape.
Light and screening balance
A diffuse high-transmission roof with a movable shade screen gave the crop the light it needs in cooler months and protection during peak radiation, under one control strategy.
Hygiene and pollination management
Screened entries, hive placement and a defined crop hygiene routine were planned into the layout to protect pollinators and reduce botrytis pressure.
02
Technology selection
Specification decisions were justified by fruit grade and picking cost, not by area.
| System | Selection | Reason for selection |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | Glass greenhouse, diffuse high-transmission roof | Premium fruit quality justifies the light performance of glass |
| Growing system | Elevated coco coir gutters at working height | Protects fruit quality and cuts harvest labour cost per kilogram |
| Humidification | High-pressure fogging | Raises humidity during the pollination window in a very dry climate |
| Cooling | Pad and fan with movable shade screen | Controls peak temperature without sacrificing winter light |
| Irrigation | Drip fertigation with cooled water at peak | Holds root zone temperature within the fruit quality range |
| Pollination | Managed bumblebee hives with screened entries | Fruit shape depends directly on pollination consistency |
| Control | Integrated climate, fogging and irrigation control | Humidity, temperature and irrigation must be managed as one strategy |
Outcome
Project outcome
The project was specified to protect grade first, on the basis that premium fruit price is what carries the higher capital cost.
- Built area
- 8,000 m²
- System
- Elevated gutter
- Target market
- Premium fresh
- Harvest posture
- Working height
Moving to elevated gutters at working height reduced projected picking hours per kilogram materially compared with the ground-level substrate system in the original concept.
Adding fogging to the climate strategy addressed the pollination risk that would otherwise have shown up as misshapen, downgraded fruit during the driest months.
The specification was deliberately more expensive per square metre than a film alternative; the cost model showed the premium fruit price segment supported it, and that a film structure would not hold grade through the season.
Gallery
Project gallery
Reference images of the greenhouse type, growing system and installation stage used on this project.
Elevated gutters set at working height for repeated harvest
Diffuse high-transmission glass roof with movable shade screen
Structure and glazing installation supervised against specification
FAQ
Project questions
Technical and commercial questions raised on this commercial greenhouse project.
Can strawberries be grown commercially in a desert climate?
Yes, provided root zone temperature and humidity are controlled. The two failure points are root temperature rising above the fruit quality range and humidity falling low enough to suppress pollination. Both are solvable, but they must be designed for rather than corrected later.
Why use elevated gutters instead of growing at ground level?
Strawberry is harvested repeatedly across a long season, so picking posture dominates labour cost. Elevated gutters at working height reduce harvest time per kilogram and also improve air movement around the fruit, which lowers botrytis pressure.
Is glass necessary for strawberry production?
Not always. Glass is justified when the target market pays for grade and shelf life, because light quality and climate stability translate directly into fruit quality. For a lower price segment, a well-specified multi-span film structure can be the better commercial decision.
Continue
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