“I’m convinced our technologies will bring stability to farming operations, which ultimately leads to an increase in profit. I do not doubt that these technologies are going to change the way we farm,” says Kevin Lee, CEO of CESeL Primus.
Kevin Lee
The company started indoor farming in 2018 on about 660 square meters, where it has been cultivating about 2 tons of vegetables per month and is expanding to strawberries and tomatoes. CESeL started with the indoor strawberry farm which has high-value chains, embarking on the business of automated farming.
“During our time growing in an indoor environment, we gained a lot of experience and knowledge that we used to develop our own line of products. We have been focusing on improving this and started an indoor farm facility construction business in early 2021. In this way, we can provide other growers with everything they would need from cultivation to distribution. Through that, we hope to make life a tad easier for indoor growers.”
Indoor strawberry farm
Product range
From that ambition, various products were born, such as the Conveyor Culture Platform. Whereas one of the most important factors in agriculture is water. Conveyor Culture is the result of thinking about that water by reducing the water consumption through a moving tray.
One-point irrigation adds efficiency through water tilting and combines the advantages of a conveyor which reduces labor. The platform includes everything: from light sources to water supply and drainage systems. CESel Primus can supply systems that fit into any installation space, explains Kevin Lee.
Conveyor Culture indoor farm (300sq.m)
Of course, you might think that ‘all sounds great, but there are so many automation platforms’, and that is very true. So, what makes these so different? “Where other platforms just only focus on trying harvesting, the CESel’s technology will make it possible to harvest and sort produce based on sugar content, size, and maturity.
“Furthermore, automated harvesting is a delicate process, and crops can easily be damaged; that is not a problem with our products, as they cut the harvest, rather than pulling them,” Kevin Lee explains.
AlphaFarm
The future
CESeL Primus already has a strawberry harvesting robot, but they are now extensively researching and developing that technology so it can be applied to other crops such as leafy greens and fruits.
Furthermore, the company is also planning to build an automated farm in which their technology is integrated. “We want to expand that farm by 2023 as well, so now is an important time to combine data, AI, and robotics.”
Introducing vertical farms in apartment blocks
The company also plans to establish local production hubs in densely populated areas to offer locally produced food. When that plan is realized, customers will be able to buy fresh, environmentally-friendly strawberries and salads which are harvested only after they are ordered.
Farm automation system
"That way, farmers will receive a decent income as they won’t have to worry about whether they will be able to move their produce. This is done through sales in CESeL’s distribution system. It’s truly a win-win situation,” Kevin Lee shares. To realize all of this, a franchise business, ‘Farm&OnStore’, is in the works.
For more information:
Jung Rock, Kim, Sales Director
jung.kim@ceslprimus.com
CESel Primus
www.ceslprimus.com