Title : Energy use and carbon emission along the tomato supply chain based soilless farming technologies
Abstract:
Greenhouse tomato cultivation provides substantial advantages in terms of yield stability, input control, and the optimization of environmental conditions compared to open-field production systems. However, greenhouse production with soilless farming technology is characterized by intensive energy use and considerable greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Increasing concerns regarding climate change, resource scarcity, and the environmental sustainability of agri-food systems have therefore intensified the need to evaluate energy consumption patterns and carbon emissions (CE) along agricultural supply chains. In this context, the present study aims to estimate energy efficiency indicators and quantify carbon emissions along the greenhouse tomato supply chain in Antalya province, Türkiye.
Primary research data were collected through face-to-face questionnaires from 33 greenhouse tomato producers using soilless farming technology, 15 wholesalers, 15 exporters, and 15 retailers operating along the tomato supply chain. A life cycle assessment (LCA) framework was employed to estimate CE generated along the supply chain. The system boundary was defined from cradle to consumer, covering production, transportation, handling, storage, distribution, and retailing stages. Energy equivalents of production inputs and outputs were calculated using established energy conversion coefficients. In addition, key
energy use indicators such as energy ratio, energy productivity, specific energy, and net energy were calculated to measure the resource use efficiency.
The results revealed that total energy consumption for greenhouse tomato production with soilless farming technology reached approximately 10,000 MJ along the supply chain. Chemical fertilizers, coal, electricity, pesticides, growing media, and diesel fuel were identified as the most energy-intensive inputs. The findings further indicated that non-renewable and fossil-based energy sources dominated total energy use in greenhouse tomato production systems. CE analysis showed that greenhouse tomato production under soilless farming technology generated substantially higher CE compared to open-field tomato cultivation systems. Total annual GHG reached 687.61 tons of CO2-equivalent per hectare, while approximately 2 kg CO2-equivalent emissions were generated per kilogram of tomato delivered to consumers.
The distribution of carbon emissions along the supply chain also showed that chemical fertilizers accounted for the largest share of emissions (41%) from cradle to farm gate, followed by coal (23%) and electricity consumption (18%). Moreover, approximately 59% of total CE occurred after post production stages including transportation, storage, marketing, and retailing activities. These findings indicate that environmental impacts are not limited to production activities alone but are significantly influenced by downstream supply chain operations.
The study highlights the importance of transitioning toward low-carbon and energy-efficient production systems in greenhouse agriculture. The adoption of renewable energy sources, energy-efficient lighting systems, improved greenhouse covering materials, optimized heating schedules, and more efficient input management practices may substantially reduce both energy consumption and carbon emissions. In particular, reducing dependency on chemical fertilizers, coal, pesticides, and electricity appears critical for improving the environmental sustainability of greenhouse tomato supply chains. The findings provide important policy implications for sustainable greenhouse production, climate-smart agriculture, and low-carbon agri-food supply chain management.
