Cristalplant Group: Flawless organic and conventional production

NOVEMBER 2022

Laura González, Production Director at Cristalplant, relies on Svensson products across all of the company’s nurseries. “Every one of our greenhouses is fitted with Svensson’s Xtreme insect net, and all of our summer production is carried out naturally.”

The relationship between Cristalplant Group and Svensson began four years ago, when they decided to trial our Xsect Xtreme insect net in one of their pepper campaigns. Today we return to the same greenhouse where the story began — Cristalplant’s organic facility in the San Agustín area of western Almería. We are welcomed by Laura González, the company’s Production Director, who explains that since that first trial, the Xtreme net has become a permanent part of this greenhouse.

Cristalplant runs nine locations: four in western Almería, two in the Levante region, one in Motril, and two in Seville — totaling 35 to 40 hectares of nursery production. They produce high-quality vegetable transplants, grafted plants, ornamentals, and fruit trees. Their ability to operate so many sites comes down to strong production capacity designed around customer needs — both clean organic production and clean conventional production. Four years of using Svensson nets has taught them a lot, so we sat down with Laura to learn more.

How did your relationship with Svensson begin?

“We had to take action because of pest pressure and the major problems insects cause in this region. We evaluated different options to keep pests out of the nurseries so we could deliver clean, healthy young plants to our customers.

That’s when we met Svensson we saw a trial of the Xsect Xtreme net, and we decided to install it in this greenhouse during a pepper campaign. The results were fantastic. Thrips, whitefly, and aphid presence dropped by around 80%.”

“Because of the results from that first year — and seeing the state of the plants and the overall environment in the nursery — our entire approach to summer pepper production changed. It’s true that with Xsect Xtreme we reduce ventilation and must manage irrigation, nutrition, and treatments differently, but the payoff is a young plant completely free of virus.”

How has your production changed since using insect nets?

“To begin with, after the initial trial in this house, we installed Svensson’s Xtreme net in all our greenhouses — and all our summer production is now carried out naturally. We’ve completely changed our production strategy. The nets allow us to produce plants using beneficial insects and biological control rather than chemical plant protection products. This has allowed us to reduce chemical use by almost 80%, both in organic and in conventional production. Being able to do this even in conventional crops is a huge advantage for us. It’s not just about thrips or other insects. When you treat plants chemically, they tend to harden, sometimes burn, and you always carry the risk associated with chemical products. We’re proud to say that all our young plants — organic and conventional — are now produced naturally, with beneficials and very little chemical intervention.”

Do you feel more secure with Xsect Xtreme?

“Yes, now I feel at ease. Of course, there will always be some issue — anyone who says a nursery is perfect is lying. But I’m much more confident having plants inside a greenhouse protected with Svensson netting. And I can finally combine what I always wanted: young plants free of pests, with beneficial insects already established, and customers who are satisfied and confident that they won’t face virus problems.”

So, would you recommend installing our insect net in a nursery?

“From what we’ve seen at Cristalplant, yes. We chose Xsect Xtreme because in a nursery you simply cannot tolerate mistakes — young plants must be delivered in the best condition possible. The risks are minimal. Since installing the nets, the reduction in claims has been significant, and that’s why we continue using Xtreme. We know it works and that it dramatically reduces pest entry into our nurseries.”

Have you tried other Svensson products?

“In Seville we started a trial last year with the Harmony screen. We’ve used it there to reduce reflected light and help manage temperature. In winter it helps with heating efficiency — maintaining slightly higher night temperatures — and in summer it helps lower temperatures and reduce light reflection.

The strategies are different between winter and summer, but overall it allows us to save energy and deliver a better-quality young plant.”

How is your working relationship with Svensson?

“Excellent. Truly excellent. I have no complaints at all. We are completely satisfied with the quality — the results speak for themselves. We plan to expand our nurseries, renovate some facilities, and build more. And everything we do will undoubtedly be with Svensson netting.”

“The change was radical. Since installing Svensson nets, we haven’t had any pest problems.”

We meet Paco Luque, an organic grower who has worked with Miguel for a year. In addition to buying young pepper plants from the Vicaplant nursery, he uses Svensson products in his own greenhouses — continuing the chain of protection.

At Svensson, we are proud to see our customers grow and reach their goals, providing the confidence they need to produce the highest-quality plants. For now, we say goodbye — as we always do with Cristalplant — with a simple “see you soon.”