At Nova Agri, our Research and Development are an integral part of our regular business operations.
- Controlled Atmosphere (CA) storage of sweet cherries
- bulk handling of fresh blueberries in CA storage
- cultivation techniques to accelerate or delay the maturity of highbush blueberries
- cultivation techniques to accelerate or delay the maturity of sweet cherries
- technology to optimize the weigh-and-fill system for soft fruits
- development of value-added produce
Particularly notable is Nova Agri's research and development activities on storage techniques for blueberries. In recent joint efforts between Nova Agri, the Atlantic Food and Horticulture Research Centre (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada) and the National Research Council's Industrial Research Assistance Program, the shelf life of fresh highbush blueberries was significantly extended through controlled atmosphere storage, earning the research team the Federal Partners in Technology Transfer Award 2000. Controlled Atmosphere storage has since been successfully implemented at Nova Agri, and has resulted in the availability of blueberries into early November (approximately two months post harvest).