Veracruz, the Portuguese-Brazilian almond supplier, has embraced blockchain technology as part of its drive to improve smart farming techniques.
Veracruz, which farms 1,300 hectares of almond groves in Fundao and Idanha-a-Nova, Portugal, is ramping up the traceability ahead of its €15.3m factory which is set to open in 2023. Upon the opening of the factory, data about the almonds will be used to optimise production and model predictions for future batches.
David Carvalho, the founder of Veracruz, commented on the potential of technology such as blockchain in the production process: "Technology has the power to transform the food sector, and over the next five years we plan to invest over €6m in innovative tech that will enable us to use our resources even more effectively, while drastically reducing waste."
Significantly, blockchain is an important technology in improving the traceability of products, a crucial aspect which helps to reduce uncertainty, cut down on waste and create clarity in supply chains.
"Blockchain offers unprecedented new opportunities for smart food traceability, transparency and safety" added Mr Cavalho. "Specifically in almond growing - where crops are open to uncontrollable variables, such as weather, water scarcity, and pests - it has the potential to solve some of the industry’s biggest challenges."
These supply-side improvements not only enhance the production process but have palpable benefits for the consumer, too.
"By maximising the power of blockchain to boost traceability at every stage of the production and distribution process, we can give the consumer full sight of their productions’ journey from orchard to plate, which is becoming an increasingly important part of the purchasing process," says Mr Carvalho.
Veracruz has plans to collaborate with other agrotech ventures, such as Aerobotics, a South African business that uses artificial intelligence to process bird-eye images of farmyards. These images combined with AI generate data about the health of trees and crops. Veracruz plans to collect the Aerobotics data in the hopes of implementing such technology in the future.