Agri-tech business Fischer Farms says its trial of growing wheat vertically has been highly successful.
The company reported that initial results show a seed to harvest cycle time capable of delivering five crop cycles per year, enabling the equivalent of 273 acres of conventionally grown wheat to be produced in a 10-acre vertical farm.
While much of the focus of vertical farming has been around leafy greens and soft fruit, Fischer Farms has been working on high-protein crops such as wheat, soy and rice.
The business plans to scale up operations and reduce its cost base and is hoping to produce soya beans, rice and wheat in significant volumes at price points that compare favourably to global commodity prices.
Acknowledging this will require major R&D and investment to deliver, Fischer Farms claimed the returns will lead to the next agricultural revolution and safeguard global food security.
“The results from our first wheat trial are extremely encouraging, with very promising yield capabilities,” said Fischer Farms founder and CEO Tristan Fischer.
“Further development of the seed, growing environment and light technology will continue to provide significant improvement to this performance but investment will be key to this scalability.”
The business is opening a new four-acre vertical farm in Norfolk next year and plans to extend its trials into rice and soy.
“This advancement provides real promise for wider global food security,” added Fischer. “Our infrastructure can be established in almost any country in the world, regardless of climate and soil quality, giving economically disadvantaged and water-scarce regions the opportunity to transform their food supply chains and revolutionise their economies by ultimately evolving from net food importers to becoming entirely self-sufficient.”
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