What is the future of UK vertical farming?

Climate change is increasingly having an adverse impact on open-field farmers.

Some are finding conditions too wet or too dry. For others, it's too windy, too cold or too hot.

With so many variables and Mother Nature becoming more unpredictable, our horticultural experts continue to field an increasing number of enquiries for controlled growing environments.

Step forward vertical farming.

Having built our first vertical farming facility in 2011, we believe this revolutionary growing system will form a key part of UK food production system for decades to come.

In our experience, growers want to produce same food to a high quality without using pesticides.

Vertical farming is a vehicle which can allow this to happen. All year round. No restrictions. No worries about adverse weather.

If growers can better predict their yield, they can start to plan ahead and develop their business model with more certainty. More time can then be spent working to develop a better-quality product with a better shelf life.

A new premium salad tier

Essentially, anything can be grown in a vertical farming space but there's no point in doing so if it is not commercially viable. Consequently, what can be grown is driven mainly by what growers can sell - and how much they can get for it.

Continue reading.

Photo Courtesy of iFarm

Source: Agritech Tomorrow