There have recently been a number of stand out developments in the vertical farming space.
Challenges in vertical farming
Jim Monaghan is a Professor of Crop Science at Harper Adams University. He told Farming UK: “The key challenge is producing a product that can command a high enough price, but of a sales volume that supports the investment.
“Vertical farming can gain attention, but when put alongside cheaper field-grown crops of a similar quality, the grower will need to find something special to justify the higher price.”
There are other concerns too. There have been cases of black mold and pest infestations, whilst there are also issues with vertical farming producing the same volume of produce all year round, even though consumer demand fluctuates seasonally. A commercial vertical farming unit would have to either build excess capacity or rely on field crops to make up the difference.
Dr Laura Vickers, Senior Lecturer in Plant Biology, also at Harper Adams University, said: “The standout challenge is knowledge exchange between conventional rural stakeholders and the more urban entrepreneurs involved in vertical farming. “We know a lot already about this technology, it is now about fitting it all together with the right people.”
Read the complete article at Farming UK