Project code | POCI-01-0247-FEDER-070155

Region of intervention | 94,44% Centre and 5,56% North

Date of beginning | 01-02-2021

Date of conclusion | 30-06-2023

European Union financial support | FEDER – 710.148,55 EUR

National Public Financial Support | FCT – 183.342,67 EUR

The ORCHESTRA Project aims to develop sustainable biological alternatives for intensive production of Rocha pear and Alcobaça apple, as well as for the conservation and distribution of these productions. The goal of this project is to develop bio-formulations to suppress the use of synthetic chemical products/additives to fight pests and nutrient deficiencies, namely through a marine algae biorefinery to provide algae extracts with potential for pest control, induction of resistance, plant fortifiers and, finally, with the final by-product, improve the quality of the soil. In addition to these pre-harvest challenges, long-term fruit preservation will also be addressed to improve shelf life during storage and the distribution chain, maximizing phytonutrients.

The consortium promoting the project comprises 1 company, CAMPOTEC IN – Conservation and transformation of fruits and vegetables S.A. (leader), and 2 non-business entities, Polytechnic Institute of Leiria (IPLeiria) and Polytechnic Institute of Cávado and Ave IPCA), bringing together the technical and scientific skills for its development. The proposal also includes the participation of partners: Limerick Institute of Technology (Ireland) and Vorarlberg University of Applied Sciences (Austria).

Based on the results to be achieved by ORCHESTRA, Campotec aims to act, in a first phase, at a national level, boosting the commercialization of BIO “Maçã de Alcobaça” apple and “Pera Rocha do Oeste”, produced by using wild invasive seaweed biomass as pre-harvest treatments by granting efficient natural-based options, or/and during post-harvest stage to lead to an increased product shelf-life, assuring better nutritional and sensorial quality of the products. To get that, national project’s partners, APMA (ASSOCIAÇÃO DOS PRODUTORES DE MAÇÃ DE ALCOBAÇA) and ANP (National Association of Pera Rocha Producers), will be essential to promote products and processes innovations under this project. Later, in global market, through the distribution channels already constituted by Campotec (currently, Campotec exports 18% of its production, mainly for United Kingdom, France, Brazil and Spain), Campotec aims to reach new markets like United Arab Emirates and Nordic countries, which are characterized by a greater concern with healthy and green products, and where the price is not relevant. Finally, it is also intention of Campotec to explore Ireland and Austria markets, by enhancing the dissemination actions provided for this project (multiple selling criterion). Campotec wants to disseminate the foreground knowledge attained, the developed and demonstrated technical solutions, and the results achieved during the project.

Project file

Main Objective

Strengthen research, technological development and innovation.

Results

Project under development.