Chinese greenhouse horticulture is developing rapidly: investors and governments are eager to set up new companies. This offers a wealth of opportunities for Dutch suppliers. But according to Sylvia Xu from Signify, these opportunities are not just there for the taking.
“China lacks people with horticultural knowledge, who know how the sector works. That know-how is needed to implement Dutch high-tech solutions in China. Signify became a partner of the Dutch Greenhouse Delta (DGD) consortium this year. With DGD’s extensive network in the horticultural sector, government, and science, they can help transfer knowledge and make the horticultural sector in China more sustainable.”
If there is anyone who knows Chinese greenhouse horticulture inside out, it is Sylvia Xu. She grew up in the Chinese metropolis of Shanghai and started working eighteen years ago at Signify, which at the time was still called Philip Lighting. Initially working in the Home and Outdoor divisions, for the past ten years Sylvia has been active in the company’s horticultural division. Here, she is currently working as Horticulture LED Solutions Business Development Director for Asia. “That’s quite a mouthful, but in practice it mainly means that I transfer the knowledge we have about the use of LED lighting in horticulture to Chinese growers and our local teams on the ground,” says Sylvia. “In other words: I want to help ensure that the Signify’s in-house expertise is put to the best possible use in Chinese horticultural practice. In pre-Corona times, I often flew to China. In the last year, the transfer of knowledge has mainly taken place digitally.”