Hello everyone! I’m Shohei.
“Fruit in a plant factory!? You mean it’s possible?”
For those of you who thought that, the truth is that there are increasingly more cases of fruit cultivation in plant factories in recent years.
Plant factories are strongly associated with leafy vegetables like lettuce and herbs.
But, imagine this for a moment:
- Bright red, ripe strawberries in the middle of winter.
- Juicy melons in the middle of summer.
… Doesn’t that get you a little excited?
For those who are wondering, “But, aren’t plant factories mainly for leafy vegetables? Why?”, please refer to the following article as well.
Why is fruit cultivation in plant factories becoming popular?
In recent years, there have been more cases of fruit cultivation in plant factories.
First, let’s look at why plant factories are being used instead of open-field cultivation.
Thorough comparison of advantages and disadvantages! What are the differences from open-field cultivation?
There are differences between plant factories and open-field cultivation, as shown below:
| Plant factory | Open-field cultivation | |
|---|---|---|
| Initial cost | High | Low |
| Running cost | Slightly high | Low |
| Environmental control | Possible | Difficult |
| Disease and pest risk | Low | High |
| Yield | Stable | Unstable |
| Quality | High | Affected by environment |
| Year-round cultivation | Possible | Difficult |
Plant factories, while having higher initial costs and running costs, have many advantages in terms of cultivation.
Therefore, it is possible to cultivate high-value crops with high unit prices.
Moreover, it is not location-dependent, so even in areas where fruit cultivation is difficult, it is possible with a plant factory.
【Success story】 Former salaryman increases annual income by cultivating melons!
There are actual cases of people who have achieved success by cultivating fruits in plant factories.
For example, a former salaryman who quit his job and challenged himself to cultivate premium melons in a solar-powered plant factory. Through thorough quality control and a unique sales strategy, he achieved an annual income of 10 million yen in just three years.
This success story shows that fruit cultivation in plant factories is:
- Possible for beginners to enter
- There is potential for high profits
However, the key is the thorough quality control and unique sales strategy. It’s not something everyone can do, but I think there is potential.
Full of advantages! Amazing things about growing fruit in plant factories
By the way, there are many advantages to growing fruit in a plant factory, such as:
- Delicious fruit can be enjoyed all year round: Plant factories are not affected by the weather. By strictly controlling temperature, humidity, and light, fruits of stable quality can be harvested anytime, regardless of the season.
- Reduced pesticide use for peace of mind and safety: Plant factories can prevent pests from entering, greatly reducing the amount of pesticides used. It’s safe for young children.
- Packed with both deliciousness and nutrition: By artificially creating an optimal environment for fruits, it is possible to grow fruits with higher sugar content and nutritional value than open-field cultivation.
As you can see, there are many benefits to growing fruits in plant factories.
【Reduce initial costs and start】 Recommendation of a solar-powered plant factory
Plant factories are classified into two types: “artificial light type” and “solar-powered type”.
Both are considered plant factories, but solar-powered types are suitable for growing many types of fruits. Artificial light types can also be used to cultivate strawberries.
Artificial light type vs. solar-powered type: Which system is right for you?
| Artificial light type | Solar-powered type | |
|---|---|---|
| Initial cost | High | Low |
| Running cost | High (electricity bill) | Low |
| Year-round cultivation | Possible | Depends on variety and region |
| Installation location | No restrictions | Sunny location |
Not just strawberries! Fruits that can be cultivated in a plant factory
If we think of plant factories in a broad sense, it’s not just strawberries that can be cultivated. For example,
- Melon
- Tomato
- Blueberry
- Grape
- Fig
and various other fruits can be cultivated.
【Must-see for beginners】 Points to choose fruits without failure
An important point that affects profits is “which fruit to cultivate”.
Growth characteristics, yield, market price… Three factors you need to know
- Growth characteristics: Choose varieties suitable for the plant factory environment (temperature, humidity, CO2 concentration, etc.)
- Yield: Choose varieties with high harvesting yield per unit area.
- Market price: Choose varieties that are traded at high prices or have high demand.
【Profitable fruit】 High-priced & varieties with rapidly increasing popularity
For example, in recent years,
- Premium melon: High sugar content and rarity make it possible to sell at a high price
- Functional tomato: Tomatoes rich in functional components such as GABA and lycopene are popular among health-conscious consumers
- Organic blueberry: Blueberries grown without pesticides are favored by consumers who value safety and security
are gaining attention.
【Profit UP secret】 Differentiate with high quality and high added value
Branding, organic cultivation, functionality… Catching consumer needs is the key to increasing profits.
- Branding: Establish a unique brand and tell a story to capture the hearts of consumers
- Organic cultivation: Increase added value by producing organic JAS agricultural products certified by JAS.
- Functionality: Produce fruits with enhanced functional components and appeal to health-conscious consumers
【Success story】 Realized direct sales & café management with high-quality strawberries
One person is cultivating a rare variety of strawberries using organic methods in a solar-powered plant factory. They have opened a café with a direct sales outlet, offering sweets made with high-quality strawberries, gaining popularity.
However, to operate a profitable plant factory, you need know-how for that purpose.
I provide know-how specialized in profitability that I have honed through years of experience on the ground. If you are interested, please check the following content.
Start cultivating fruit in a plant factory! Three steps to success
In this article, we have discussed the potential of fruit cultivation in plant factories. Finally, here are some points to summarize as three steps to success.
Step 1: Choose a cultivation method
- If you want to keep initial costs down, “solar-powered plant factory” is recommended.
- If you want to aim for stable year-round cultivation, consider “artificial light type plant factory”.
Step 2: Choose fruits with an eye on profits
- Choose varieties suitable for the plant factory environment.
- Choose varieties with high yield per unit area.
- Choose varieties that are traded at high prices or have high demand.
Step 3: Differentiate with high quality and high added value
- Establish a unique brand and tell a story.
- Produce fruits with enhanced functional components.
- Consider café management with a direct sales outlet.
Fruit cultivation in plant factories holds the potential for the plant factory industry to move to the next stage. Please refer to this article and draw a future picture for your agricultural business.
- What are the challenges of cultivating strawberries in a plant factory?
-
Strawberries are suitable for plant factories in terms of light requirements and plant height, but there are also challenges. First, even though strawberries have lower light requirements than other fruits, they are higher than leafy vegetables, so it is necessary to ensure sufficient light. In addition, strawberries require precise temperature and humidity control to prevent softening and deformation of the fruit. Furthermore, because of the narrow spacing in vertical cultivation, diseases and pests are prone to spread, so prevention and early detection and removal are important.
- Are there any advantages to cultivating fruits in a plant factories?
-
The biggest advantage of cultivating fruits in plant factories is that they allow for year-round and planned production. Because it is possible to ship products at times when it is impossible to do so with open-field cultivation, this can lead to market differentiation. Additionally, because cultivation is done indoors, it is less susceptible to weather conditions, and stable quality and yield can be expected. Furthermore, it is possible to improve quality such as sugar content and enhance functional components through environmental control.
- What is your outlook for the future of fruit cultivation in plant factories?
-
Fruit cultivation in plant factories is still a developing field, but I believe it has great future potential. Especially, drawing on the success stories of strawberries, I expect application to other fruits to progress. Also, the development of plant factory-specific varieties through breeding and the potential for cost reduction through technological innovation such as automation and labor saving through AI and robotics are possible. Accurate understanding of market needs and development of high-added value products, as well as continuous technological innovation, will be key.
Comments