High-tech farms now producing cold-weather crops in Singapore
High-tech vertical farms in Singapore are now planting cold-weather produce and crops which would not typically survive in Singapore’s climate and are usually grown in temperate countries like the US and Australia.
Singapore’s local farms currently produce 12% of the country’s total vegetable consumption, exceeding the 10% target set in 2009, according to a report by a Singaporean news agency.
In line with the government’s push for farming productivity – such as the recently enhanced Agriculture Productivity Fund which gives farmers up to 30% of the approved funding upfront, and the announcement that farmland would be set aside to promote high-tech farming – more farms are exploring new methods to grow crops previously thought to be impossible to cultivate in Singapore’s climate.
One such farm is Sustenir, which grows hydroponic crops in a fully controlled environment. This includes making use of technology such as LED lights, air-conditioning ducts and an automated irrigation system to grow temperate produce such as kale, cherry tomatoes and strawberries.
Co-founder Benjamin Swan explained that the firm leverages technology to manipulate every facet of growth within the room, from humidity and temperature, to the nutrients in the water.
This has helped the farm cut the growth time of crops to two weeks – half the time needed at conventional farms – as well as customize its crops to fit customer preferences. For example, it has successfully modified the naturally fibrous and indigestible stems of kale crops to become edible.
Kale is touted as a “superfood”, eaten in salads and sandwiches, blended in green juices and even baked into chips.
Da Paolo Group is one eatery chain that sources its kale from the farm, and its group executive chef Andrea Scarpa said he found the produce “very comparable” to that found overseas.
“The taste profile is very, very similar to what we get imported. But for us it’s even better, simply because you get to eat the entire plant from the top of the leaf down to the root,” he explained.
“Traditionally when you eat kale you import from overseas, you’d have to rip off the stem, which is a huge waste – 50% of your weight gone. But it’s great (that) we get to use the whole thing when it’s done locally.”
The 740 sq m farm, which is located in an industrial building, also plans to expand to tailoring edible flowers and micro-greens for its customers.
Another vertical farm thriving on technology is owned by Japanese electronics company Panasonic. The 1,154 sq m farm currently grows 81 tons of produce annually under its brand Veggie Lite, which supplies its vegetables to supermarket chains, hotels and restaurants. This includes more than 30 crop varieties such as green and red lettuce, swiss chards and sweet basil.
Veggie Lite aims to contribute 5% of local vegetable production – or about 1,000 tons annually – by 2020.
A spokesperson for the farm said they are able to control light, temperature and humidity to ensure optimum conditions by adopting technology from its parent company in Japan.
Through local production, they have the control to produce a stable supply of safe, fresh, high-nutrition and high-quality vegetables, the spokesperson added. “As importation involves more third parties and logistics arrangement, there are more concerns to be considered in ensuring the produce quality and freshness.”
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