ZELTA ZEME
peat extracting, harvesting, and manufacturing
Baltic peat moss manufacturer
Zelta Zeme (Golden Soil) is one of the most experienced peat processing companies in Europe. Until now, it was less recognizable, as it mainly supplied peat raw materials to other substrate producers, leaving the company itself hidden from the eyes of others. Only in recent years Zelta Zeme has started the production of finished substrates, as well as has actively started to offer its peat products to end users. A well-developed quality control system is of great importance, incl. to meet the requirements of the RHP certificate. Of course, the most important thing is the people who work in the company for many years, are very experienced in the peat industry..
Baltic sphagnum peat moss is a natural, organic soil conditioner that regulates moisture and air around plant roots for ideal growing conditions.
Save Water.
• Peat retains up to 20 times its weight in moisture, and releases water slowly as plants need it.
Aerate Heavy, Clay Soil.
• Peat moss allows for proper root growth by loosening and aerating soils.
Bind Sandy Soil.
• By adding body to sandy soil, Baltic peat helps it retain moisture and nutrients.
Reduce Leaching.
• Peat moss reduces leaching of nutrients in or added to the soil, releasing them over time. This will save on fertilizer.
Protect Soil.
• Peat moss protects soil from hardening and adds organic material.
Make Better Compost.
• Peat moss speeds the composting process, reduces odours and controls air and water in the compost pile.
Peat is by nature a very clean and safe material for crop production. It is produced in remote areas where there is no commercial crop production activity, so it is unlikely to contain any weeds or other contaminants.
Zelta Zeme – formerly Livanu kudras fabrika
Limited liability company “Zelta zeme” (formerly “Livanu kudra” )was established and entered in the Enterprise Register of the Republic of Latvia on June 16th, 2008 (Business Register Certificate No. K050149), company Unified Registration Number: 40103176052, Legal Address: “Vāge”, Soltumi, Rožupes pagasts, Līvānu novads, LV-5316, Latvia.
Peat production facilities and extraction volumes
- 33 people in total are employed in the company: production: 25, Administration: 8
- Factory area: Peat producing facility: 3 732.60 m2
- Peat packaging facility: 90 m2
- Producing and processing capacity: more than 500′000 m3 peat each year
Production
Production and processing technology, including process flow chart and key process description:
The technological process of production of SIA Zelta zeme, (Ltd.) consists of:
peat extracting à supply from the peat bog to the factory à screening on the screening line into fractions à (milling of raw materials (depending on the order)) à (mixing of milled peat and block peat (depending on the order)) à packaging of finished products à loading of finished and packaged products into the customer’s transport.
All the work in the factory is controlled by the computers under professional staff supervision.
A specialist shall take a sample from each batch and it has been analysed in a company’s lab by determining the structure, humidity absorption capacity, PH and EC (electrical conductivity or total salts concentration). A sample from each batch shall be stored for 6 weeks.
Next, screened peat fractions or peat mixtures are submitted to the packaging facility. The production process concludes by loading finished packed products (into Big Bags of 6.000 l or in 250l bags) into the customers` transport.
Machinery
Machines are an important factor in our substrate production process. They are quite expensive, but by choosing the right ones for different jobs, the costs will turn into a profit due to a higher productivity.
Logistic
Internal logistics of our substrate production site is further optimize efficiency. The faster the materials and products can be moved around, the higher production value will be.
PEAT FIELDS Peat bog acquisition and development
THE FACTORYMore than 1/2 a million m3 per year
Raw Materials
Milled peat
Base for all professional grade substrates. High air and water capacity.
Vertically harvested peat. Have important long term structural stability
Peat is a wet, oxygen-depleted, and sponge-like type of soil, which is made up of dead plant material. Normally, this material is rapidly degraded by the presence of oxygen and the effect of bacteria. Especially at high temperatures and dry conditions, the degradation goes quickly. In wet and humid conditions the degradation is slower than the accumulation, thus peat formation occurs. Peat mostly occurs temperate humid areas.
The most important raw material for potting soils is peat.
White peat milled
Most of the white peat is milled, that means that the upper layer is milled loose so that it can dry easier.
White peat blocks
Another way of harvesting white peat is producing peat blocks. In this case, the upper layer will not be milled but blocks are cut out of the profile. For the potting soil producer the advantage of the blocks is the fact that better and stronger “fractions” subtracted. Even the finest fraction will contain more air than milled peat. A disadvantage for the peat producer is the extra labour costs; cutting it out of the peat bog takes more time, stacking it in rows also requires more man work and therefore is more expensive.
Black peat
Harvested from deeper layers of high moor bogs. Highly decomposed peat, dark color brown to black, reach in humic substances. Good water retention capacity. Demanded in south countries for mixing with white peat.
Humic substances founded in black peat performs several important functions:
– accumulate in long-term nutrients and microelements necessary for growth;
– improve nutrient cycle in a living organism
– regulate nutrients and water uptake in soil
– protect from external environmental unfavorable factors and enhance plant
and animal immunity
– improve photosynthesis productivity and increase chlorophyll content in plants,
resulting in increased productivity and plant resistance.
Baltic peat moss – best available growing media for professional growers
Peat has ideal properties as a cultivation medium with respect to fertilization and irrigation. Used peat products may be recycled as compost and landfill waste material, and if desired, they may be burned. There is a shortage of high-quality peat in Europe. Further, peat has some antimicrobial properties and thus the growth of harmful plant diseases and bacteria can be prevented or decreased using cultivation medium based on peat; peat is also widely used as desiccant for animals.
Peat is a wet, oxygen-depleted, and sponge-like type of soil, which is made up of dead plant material. Normally, this material is rapidly degraded by the presence of oxygen and the effect of bacteria. Especially at high temperatures and dry conditions, the degradation goes quickly. In wet and humid conditions the degradation is slower than the accumulation, thus peat formation occurs. Peat mostly occurs temperate humid areas.
The most important raw material for potting soils is peat.
White peat milled
Most of the white peat is milled, that means that the upper layer is milled loose so that it can dry easier.
White peat blocks
Another way of harvesting white peat is producing peat blocks. In this case, the upper layer will not be milled but blocks are cut out of the profile. For the potting soil producer the advantage of the blocks is the fact that better and stronger “fractions” subtracted. Even the finest fraction will contain more air than milled peat. A disadvantage for the peat producer is the extra labour costs; cutting it out of the peat bog takes more time, stacking it in rows also requires more man work and therefore is more expensive.
Black peat
Harvested from deeper layers of high moor bogs. Highly decomposed peat, dark color brown to black, reach in humic substances. Good water retention capacity. Demanded in south countries for mixing with white peat.
Humic substances founded in black peat performs several important functions:
– accumulate in long-term nutrients and microelements necessary for growth;
– improve nutrient cycle in a living organism
– regulate nutrients and water uptake in soil
– protect from external environmental unfavorable factors and enhance plant
and animal immunity
– improve photosynthesis productivity and increase chlorophyll content in plants,
resulting in increased productivity and plant resistance.
Peat has ideal properties as a cultivation medium with respect to fertilization and irrigation. Used peat products may be recycled as compost and landfill waste material, and if desired, they may be burned. There is a shortage of high-quality peat in Europe. Further, peat has some antimicrobial properties and thus the growth of harmful plant diseases and bacteria can be prevented or decreased using cultivation medium based on peat; peat is also widely used as desiccant for animals.
Substrates
Base for self-mixes
Base for all professional grade substrates. High air and water capacity
Ready to use
Vertically harvested peat. Have important long term structural stability
Highest quality RHP certified peat moss substrates by Zelta Zeme
In the professional horticulture, the customer/grower demand for ideal substrate. Zelta Zeme produce substrates which are:
- With good physical characteristics. Roots need water, air and fertilizer, the substrate is essential;
- With good drainage. If the substrate does not drain, the result will be a lack of air and finally suffering plants;
- With good chemical characteristics. For the production of good quality, all elements should be available in the right relation;
- Stable substrate, to be sure that no surprises occur after some months;
- Uniform product, so that every culture can be the same and the grower does not have to change his way of irrigation etc.
In the professional horticulture, the customer/grower demand for ideal substrate. Zelta Zeme produce substrates which are:
- With good physical characteristics. Roots need water, air and fertilizer, the substrate is essential;
- With good drainage. If the substrate does not drain, the result will be a lack of air and finally suffering plants;
- With good chemical characteristics. For the production of good quality, all elements should be available in the right relation;
- Stable substrate, to be sure that no surprises occur after some months;
- Uniform product, so that every culture can be the same and the grower does not have to change his way of irrigation etc.
SERVICES
In Europe, 90 %of the growing media used by professional growers are peat-based. In 2019, the total growing media market in EU, which includes amateur (hobby) use, was more than 39 million m3. Peat is also transported and used across the globe. From Northern Europe, peat is sent by ship to areas including the middle-east, Asia and even Australia where growers appreciate its unique properties, supporting a global horticulture industry.
Every year millions of tons of Baltic peat moss is exported to over one hundred countries around the world. Zelta Zeme take significant part in peat industry.
In order to move such huge volumes, it is necessary to have a well-developed logistics service that ensures the unloading of dozens of containers for export every day.
Peat has a low bulk density and is easy compressible. This makes it very fuel efficient for transporting over long distances. This helps to both keep prices down for growers, and to reduce its impact on climate change.
In the same time peat is a very compact and heavy product to transport. The carrier should be aware of this and be able to offer the correct mode of transport, preferably sea freight or shipping by truck or rail.
Our logistics team is experienced in organizing transportation and logistics for all our clients worldwide. This allows us to make all deliveries easy, affordable and fast to any place in Europe and all international sea ports worldwide.
All international deliveries are carried out with our reliable long-term business partners on Trucks and Vessels (Worldwide) and Riga (Latvia) sea ports.
- Logistic
- Export handling
- Sertificates