Reuters/Edgar Su
Panasonic may be known for its consumer electronics, but the Japanese company is also venturing into indoor agriculture.
In 2014, Panasonic started growing leafy greens inside a warehouse in Singapore and selling them to local grocers and restaurants. At the time, the 2,670-square-foot farm produced just 3.6 tons of produce per year. The farm's square footage and output have both more than quadrupled since then, Alfred Tham, the assistant manager of Panasonic's Agriculture Business Division, tells Business Insider.
Panasonic's greens are all grown indoors year-round, with LEDs replacing sunlight. The growing beds are stacked to the ceiling in order to achieve a higher yield in the limited space.
Take a look inside.
Panasonic's vegetable farm resides in an inconspicuous warehouse in Singapore.Reuters/Edgar SuThe farm's 20 workers put on hairnets, face masks, gloves, and hazmat suits before handling the produce to make sure they don't contaminate it.Reuters/Edgar Su
The farm produces 81 tons of greens per year — 0.015% of all produce grown in Singapore. The hopes to eventually raise that percentage to 5%.Reuters/Edgar Su
Source: Ag Funder News
There are currently 40 types of crops in the warehouse, including mini red radish, mini white radish, rocket lettuce, mizuna, Swiss chard, romaine lettuce, and rainbow chard. By March 2017, the farm plans to start growing 30 more varieties.Reuters/Edgar Su
To plant the greens, Panasonic's workers place tiny seeds on growing beds. Unlike many vertical farms, Panasonic's grows its greens in soil.Reuters/Edgar Su
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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