Plantlab and Saudi Greenhouses open indoor farms in MENA

The cooperation agreement was signed on March 29 at the Ministry of Energy, Water, and Agriculture, in the presence of Ahmed Saleh Al-Khamshi, the Deputy Minister for Agricultural Affairs, and Mohammed Alohaly, the Managing Director of Food & Agriculture from the Ministry of Investment. The first location in Riyadh will provide many jobs for people within the region and fits Saudi Vision 2030, the strategic framework to reduce oil dependence and broaden the economy. The planned locations opening after this will provide hundreds more additional jobs.

Investment of 250 to 300 million euros

Plantlab aims to build a minimum of ten indoor farms within three to five years, an investment in the region of approximately 250 to 300 million euros. The first location is just outside Riyadh and will produce various leafy greens. These products will be sold locally via the existing network of Saudi Greenhouses, ensuring minimal environmental impact.

Plantlab's production sites can be located anywhere in the world, even on barren soil or in the middle of urban areas. With Plantlab’s farming method, no fungicides or pesticides are ever used. The crops grow to their full potential by controlling temperature, moisture, and light, while 95 percent less water is needed. Light comes from specially developed LEDs, which give the specific color of light that the plant needs for photosynthesis.

Food security in the region

Mohammed Al Rasheed, CEO of Saudi Greenhouses: “Saudi Greenhouses has the ambition to produce more locally grown food. Sustainably grown products, good quality, 365 days a year. This collaboration will greatly increase food security in the region.”

Eelco Ockers, CEO of Plantlab, added: “Through this collaboration, the food and agricultural sector in the region will grow significantly. With our technology and knowledge of indoor farming, we will assist Saudi Arabia in achieving its goals in this area.”

Jawid Bunyadi, BD director of Plantlab Middle East: “This collaboration aims to grow fresh food locally. We will contribute to improving the environment, the trade balance, the creation of new jobs, and the diversification of the Saudi economy.”

About Saudi Greenhouses
The company started operations in 1987 by operating 8 ha greenhouses in the Al-Kharj area. Today they manage close to 75 ha of greenhouses in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and have horticultural production and marketing interests in countries ranging from UAE to Morocco. As a pioneer and trendsetter in horticultural greenhouse production in the Arabian Peninsula, the company furnishes Saudi Arabia's leading retailers of high-quality tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, and herbs. The company develops turn-key greenhouse projects and year-round production and marketing of the finest vegetables. It renders international advisory services, including training and large-scale studies, to assist in the growth and prosperity of the Middle East horticultural sectors.

About Plantlab
Plantlab is a Dutch company and one of the pioneers of indoor farming. The company was founded in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands in 2010. Plantlab can grow any crop with a green leaf indoors and sells the products as premium vegetables offering the benefit of more nutrients and taste. Plantlab has focused on research for many years together with seed breeders such as Syngenta and BASF to shorten the breeding cycle. In 2018, the company started actively building indoor farms, varying in scale (1,000 – 8,500m2 selling vegetables to wholesalers and retail partners. Plantlab currently operates 2 farms that are located in Amsterdam and Indianapolis, and also has a small unit operational on the Bahamas with a local partner. The key benefits of indoor farming are strongly linked to the three current global food issues: food security, food safety and water shortage. Indoor farming ensures year-round reliable local food production and limits the use of precious resources (significant water reduction, no use of pesticides, and a shortened and transparent supply chain) based on high nutritional value and a longer shelf life for retailers.