ULMA Agrícola builds the largest paprika pepper greenhouse factory in Latin America

In 2012 some of the Central American countries signed a phytosanitary protocol with the USA, opening the way for local agricultural exporters to send papayas, paprika peppers and fresh tomatoes to the US market.

ULMA Agrícola has recently opened Latin America’s largest paprika growing factory, where the different-coloured peppers are cultivated in a controlled environment.

The plantation is 40 hectares in size, of which 10 hectares are used for greenhouse pepper cultivation using a hydroponic system (a method for growing plants without soil).The rest of the land is occupied by the packing plant, the cold chain and other facilities.

ULMA Agrícola built the impressive steel greenhouse structure using modules 9.6 m in length and with a 5.5 metre eave height. The greenhouses were built on sloping land, which meant a stepped terrace had to be constructed, and the facilities are sub-divided into 9 connected modules, with the completed greenhouse structure adapting perfectly to the relief of the land.

The structure has 2 side doors per module, overhead butterfly ventilation and roll fans on the front walls, all covered with anti-trip mesh to protect the window openings. There is a longitudinal grille system at a height of 4.5 m, with struts or additional front reinforcements, together with thermal shields in all the growing areas, air recirculators and a white floor cover.

The covering chosen to enclose the entire installation is a special five-layer non-drip plastic.