The recent advancements in plant factories are remarkable. One example is vertical farming. This method involves stacking cultivation cases and growing plants densely. The cultivation trays in this type of vegetable factory are stacked vertically, saving space. One company’s vertical farming system can produce the equivalent yield of 250 square meters of farmland from just 2 square meters. Plant factories are showing astonishing progress in hydroponics, aerial cultivation, and drip irrigation technologies, incorporating IT technology. However, bottlenecks are also becoming apparent. High investment and running costs are major obstacles to the business. As technology advances, improvements in the luminous efficiency and lower cost of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) used for lighting are significantly contributing to cost reduction. The latest equipment is designed to consume 40% less power than previous equipment. Companies are now adopting vertical farming, incorporating the latest cultivation technologies.
The company embarking on this new challenge is Greenfight, a Singaporean startup. According to local media, they have invested approximately 10 billion yen and operate the world’s tallest plant factory. At 23.3 meters tall, it is the world’s tallest vertical plant factory. They are increasing land use efficiency through vertical farming and are also advancing automation. They can cultivate 1.2 million lettuce plants simultaneously, with an annual production capacity of up to 2,000 tons. The vegetables produced are sold in supermarkets and online. In Singapore, a country with limited land and a large population, food self-sufficiency has been a challenge. Food security has become a major issue. Singapore has a history of establishing highly efficient plant factories to improve its food self-sufficiency rate. However, securing profitability has been a challenge. Greenfight is taking on this challenge.
In advanced cities around the world, there is a growing demand for crop cultivation without pesticides or herbicides. There is a strong demand for food that is kinder to people. The volume of food flowing into large cities is increasing, and the cost of food inspection is steadily rising. Furthermore, with the decline in agricultural producers, technologies that automate production without human intervention at each stage of cultivation have become essential. Plant factories are well-suited to these needs. The challenges for plant factories include developing new varieties, creating light sources suitable for vegetable growth, and fully implementing robots. Crops can grow regardless of soil type, as long as they have sufficient water, dissolved minerals, and organic fertilizer. It is also possible to add nutrients that meet the health needs of people and address their medical conditions. If crops can be produced that help patients recover from illness, they will be high-value crops. If we can understand consumer demands and produce vegetables that can meet them, it may present a significant business opportunity in large cities.
