| Farmers in Norr- and Västerbotten are struggling with declining – and sometimes negative – profits. The generational shifts on local family-owned farms tend to result in liquidation/closing as the small profit margins from the farming business are too small and unpredictable to support a family with children. As a result, the farmed land area in Norrbotten has been shrinking with about 1% each year since the turn of the new millennium.
At Luleå University of Technology a research project is currently investigating if subsurface heating of crop fields can enhance the profit of existing production for family-owned or smallholder farmers in Norr- and Västerbotten. The subsurface heating system thaws and heats the field, thereby enabling crop to be grown in the North that otherwise would not thrive in this region due to the short growing season. These crops could for example be asparagus, artichoke, strawberries, and grapes for white wine production, which have a higher sell price than conventional produce. Adding some of these high-value crops to the existing farming could increase the profits for local farms in Norr- and Västerbotten.
Current study focuses on strawberry farmers in Norrbotten, that due to the lingering frost and cold soil in the early summer will not see their strawberries ripen before a few weeks after midsummer. These few weeks of delayed maturation cause local strawberry farms to miss out of a large part of the seasonal profit, as the price peaks (doubles) for strawberries during the weeks running up to midsummer.
As part of the research project a subsurface heating system has been constructed below a strawberry field at Öjebyn Agro Park, Piteå. During spring of 2025, the soil will be heated and thawed. The maturation, quantity, and quality of the strawberries will be evaluated continuously.
The Master Thesis student that will be employed in this project during the period January-June 2025 will be responsible for planting, maintenance, taking readings and measurements at the test site and compiling the data for analysis. This requires making trips twice a week during March to June from Luleå campus to Piteå, which is roughly 50 km one way. To cover the expenses of commuting and lunch costs at Öjebyn, we hereby apply for 6500 SEK to cover travel expenses, and 3500 SEK to cover lunch expenses during trips. The total amount applied for is hence 10 000 SEK.
The recruitment of a suitable Master Student will occur during the time-period December 2024- January 2025. |