„I am a proud Czech farmer of the 21st century,“ says Lukáš Rázl, director of the farm near Kadaň, which currently produces approximately 10 % of all tomatoes and almost 15 % of all cucumbers consumed in the Czech Republic. From a simple idea to use waste heat from a power plant, a fascinating complex emerged, which represents a perfect symbiosis of the industrial and digital revolution. The title of Innovative Company of the Ústí nad Labem Region for 2025 in the small and medium-sized company category thus goes to the operation, where insects, smart algorithms and intelligent fungi take care of the plants.
In a white spacesuit among tomatoes
Before you are even allowed to touch your first seedling, you have to go through a procedure that resembles entering a nuclear power plant or an operating room. The first step is to pass through a special disinfection frame, followed by a thorough hand cleaning and then the main thing – putting on a white protective suit that makes you look like an astronaut. The reason is simple: the plants in Agro Kadaň They are like top athletes in isolation, and any bacteria or virus you bring in from outside (even just on your hands after eating a tomato you bought) could destroy the entire crop.
A green oasis instead of concrete
Few would believe that a huge industrial complex once stood on the site where the freshest vegetables are grown. „We are on the site of the demolished Tušimice 1 power plant,“ describes Lukáš Rázl, adding: „One centimeter below you lies a huge demolished power plant.” Production takes place here on 11 hectares of greenhouses that have little in common with a traditional field.
The foundation of success is cutting-edge technology. Irrigation is handled by computers that evaluate the weight of the plants, temperature, humidity and wind speed outside. As the director himself says: "This is agriculture where you have experienced both the industrial and digital revolutions all at once."„
The approach to resources is also innovative. Waste heat from the neighboring Tušimice 2 power plant is used for heating. The plants are watered with rainwater collected from the roofs of the greenhouses, which is purified to drinking water quality to prevent infections.
No chemicals, bumblebees and "smart" mushrooms help
The farm is unique in its biological approach. The plants are grown in mats made of ground coconuts and cooperation with nature plays a huge role. No chemicals are used to protect against pests, but insect predators are deployed. "In nature, it is based on the principle that the enemy of my enemy is my friend," smiles Rázl.
A key partner of plants is also mycelium – fungi delivered directly to the roots, which help plants manage water and minerals and increase yields by around 20 %. Pollination is then carried out by live bumblebees. However, since the greenhouses are lit at night and a bumblebee would work until exhaustion under artificial light, their regime is controlled digitally. „You have to put a radio, a door and an antenna on the bumblebee. And the computer calculates how many hours a day the bumblebee has been outside and at a certain point it closes the door,“ Rázl explains this incredible detail.
170 thousand "females" requiring Usain Bolt's care
There are 170,000 plants in the greenhouses in “operation”, which the farm director treats with great respect. „It’s the plant, so they’re women. I personally approach them anyway. I have 170,000 women here and it’s not easy with them,“ says Lukáš Rázl with exaggeration.
Their care is extreme. In order to produce, for example, 250,000 cucumbers a week in just one greenhouse, they must have perfect conditions. Lukáš Rázl compares their performance to top sports: „These plants here are like Usain Bolt. Do you want them to produce 250,000 cucumbers in this greenhouse every week? It can be. But you have to make sure that all the parameters are at an optimal level.“ This also entails strict hygiene measures. Special clothing must be worn in the greenhouses to prevent the transmission of viruses and bacteria.
From the Ore Mountains towards energy independence
Being an innovative company in the region means thinking about the future and its challenges. And there are many of them. Plants absolutely need CO2 to grow, but there is a shortage of it on the market, and the farm has to import it in trucks all the way from Hungary.
Another big challenge is the energy transformation in connection with the Green Deal and the possible shutdown of the coal-fired power plant that currently supplies heat. But the innovative farm already has a plan.
„"Primarily, we want to build a comprehensive gas power plant with full use of heat," reveals Rázl, and he does not rule out the use of hydrogen in the future. "In addition to the fact that we are currently engaged in agriculture, we also have to become an energy company," summarizes the director, adding that this is a huge challenge that he must overcome.
