Key Takeaways
- Hungarian grower Árpád-Agrár completed its first season using Blue Radix’s Crop Controller autonomous system.
- The company reported good yield results, a 16% reduction in heat usage, and improved 24-hour temperature accuracy.
- Electricity and thermal water consumption declined due to colder, optimized climate settings.
- Gremon Systems supported implementation through data analysis and sensor integration.
- Growers expect further optimization in irrigation and crop strategy integration in the coming season.
Árpád-Agrár Adopts Autonomous Growing Across Multiple Greenhouses
Hungarian tomato and pepper producer Árpád-Agrár began working with Crop Controller from Blue Radix one year ago, implementing the autonomous climate control system across several of its high-tech greenhouses.
Árpád-Agrár operates more than 40 hectares of greenhouse production for tomatoes and peppers, along with 7 hectares dedicated to young plants. Grower Ákos Magyar, responsible for a 4-hectare tomato greenhouse, has worked at the company for more than a decade and was closely involved in the rollout.
“I started working with Crop Controller a year ago,” said Magyar. “I was very happy when I first heard that we were going to have an autonomous control system at our company. I did hope that I would have more time for other things within the company.”
While initial expectations included operational time savings, Magyar noted that successful implementation required a significant upfront investment of time and attention. He worked closely with Blue Radix and its strategic partner Gremon Systems, including regular contact with Autonomous Greenhouse Manager Geert van der Wel and Gremon Systems President János Lóczi.
Árpád-Agrár Operational Results After First Season
According to internal analysis conducted by Blue Radix and Gremon Systems, the autonomous greenhouse required manual setting adjustments only one to two times per month. Reported results included a 16% reduction in heat usage and 15% more accurate 24-hour temperature control.
Magyar said the greenhouse climate was maintained at slightly cooler levels, reducing thermal water consumption used for heating and lowering electricity usage.
“Crop Controller will bring us many benefits in the next years, and when everything is in place, the system will work so smoothly that it’s a seamless part of our business,” Magyar said. He added that trust in the system developed gradually after years of operating under conventional growing methods.
Gremon Systems Supports Data Integration and Grower Strategy
Gremon Systems supported Árpád-Agrár by helping interpret plant data and optimize system settings. The company focuses on sensor-based data collection and analysis to support decision-making in both traditional and autonomous growing environments.
“At Gremon Systems we focus on first-hand plant data and using different types of sensors,” said János Lóczi, President of Gremon Systems. “Even if you have an autonomous solution, the strategy is your responsibility as a grower.”
Looking ahead, Árpád-Agrár plans to integrate local weather forecasts more deeply into climate steering and adopt the irrigation module for critical periods following planting and during high summer temperatures.
Magyar said autonomous growing will remain a priority, particularly in regions facing labor shortages. “We need the perfect balance between people and AI to be successful in the future,” he said.
