Current Developments for Efficient Raw Material Supply Procedures Enforcing Cost-Effective Bast Fibre Production in Europe

摘要

The dynamic changes in European and worldwide economies have taken effects on agricultural production systems as well. Due to at least temporarily high prices for traditional commodities like cereals, oil and biogas crops it becomes much more difficult to establish non-food resp. non-energy plants within the crop rotations. A sufficient competition situation can be achieved by reducing the operating costs of almost all stages of the production process. In order to be able to fulfil the increasing demand of hemp and other bast fibres in industrial applications some technical developments were carried out to increase the effectiveness and to reduce the operating costs for plant harvesting and following biomass handling. Especially technical concepts based on double knife mowers (with enlarged working width) seem to be preferable in this context. Advantages in regard to drying behaviour during field period after mowing as well as economic primness could be demonstrated.