From next year, Singaporeans can expect more of their favorite Asian vegetables to reach their plates quicker and fresher, thanks to a slew of high-tech urban farms that are set to begin operations. For vertical farming company &ever, it can even sell its vegetables “while they are still living,” said the firm’s chief executive officer Henner Schwarz.
“You don't need to refrigerate it down to 4°C (to keep it fresh),” he said. “You can actually have it at room temperature when you buy it at the supermarket, and it continues to grow at home. It stays fresh for at least a week.” &ever currently has a fully operational indoor farm using the same technology in Kuwait that produces about half a tonne of vegetables each day.
Its Singapore outfit, which will be located within the Changi vicinity and will be operating from around October next year, will be larger and produce more than double that amount — about 1.25 tonnes a day — said Dr. Schwarz.
The Hamburg-based company is just one eight companies — an egg farm and seven vegetable farms — to have accepted the Singapore Food Agency’s (SFA) 30x30 Express Grant to ramp up local food production. The SFA said the grant will accelerate Singapore’s efforts to meet its 30 by 30 goal, which is to secure 30 percent of the country’s nutritional needs with food produced locally by 2030. It will also help to minimize disruptions to Singapore’s food security, due to events such as the Covid-19 pandemic.
Read more at Today Online (Low Youjin)