Oishii's Innovative Approach: Bees, Robots, and Solar Power Revolutionise Indoor Strawberry Farming
Oishii's Amatalas Farm in New Jersey grows strawberries indoors in a sustainable manner using bees, robotics, and solar electricity. The farm's rotating racks and regulated climate promote bee pollination, resulting in a success rate of more than 95%. Advanced robots collect approximately 60 billion data points per year, enabling for exact monitoring and control of environmental conditions.
The global vertical farming market is growing, with a projected value of more than $35 billion by 2032. Oishii, a US-based indoor vertical farm firm, is at the vanguard of this agricultural revolution. Their latest effort, the Amatalas Farm in New Jersey, uses bees, robotics, and solar electricity to cultivate strawberries indoors in a sustainable manner.
With the ability to produce 170 times more yield per square foot than traditional farming, indoor farming has become a game-changer. Oishii's new 237,400-square-foot farm is designed to increase strawberry yields by more than 20 times. Powered primarily by renewable energy from a nearby 50-acre solar field, the farm also incorporates a proprietary water purification system to recycle the majority of the water used.
Oishii's approach to farming is unusual. The farm consists of individual units with moving racks, each stacked with eight growth stages that mirror the natural cycle of day and night. Bees play an important part in pollination in this carefully managed environment. Bees live alongside skilled growers, ensuring the best circumstances for their health and productivity.
However, Oishii's prosperity is not just due to bees. The farm is outfitted with cutting-edge robots that collect over 60 billion data points each year. These robots watch the farm around the clock, using machine vision and learning to modify environmental conditions. By evaluating visual data from flowers and integrating it with other environmental elements, the robots estimate the appropriate level of bee activity required for efficient pollination.
Oishii's revolutionary approach has resulted in an impressive bee pollination success rate of more than 95%, compared to 60-70% in traditional farming. The company's movable design enables bees, robots, and humans to collaborate in the same space, resulting in maximum efficiency and productivity.
Sustainability is a major value for Oishii. The Amatalas Farm is a restored plastics warehouse where the majority of the harvests are produced utilising solar electricity. LED lighting has also been adjusted to consume 14% less energy per plant. Furthermore, Oishii's vertical farming technology enables perfect control over environmental conditions, removing the impact of external seasonality.
Oishii's success goes beyond strawberries. They have expanded their crop portfolio to include the Rubī Tomato, and their pesticide-free conditions have earned them the Non-GMO Project Verification certification. With their dedication to sustainability and technology developments, Oishii is paving the road to address the difficulties of our failing agricultural system.
As the demand for vertically farmed food grows, Oishii's success at Whole Foods and FreshDirect demonstrates the industry's potential. By merging data science, robots, and nature, Oishii is paving the road for a more sustainable and efficient agricultural future.
Oishii's Amatalas Farm in New Jersey utilises bees, robots, and solar power to sustainably grow strawberries indoors.
The farm's moving racks and controlled environment optimise bee pollination, resulting in a success rate of over 95%.
State-of-the-art robots capture over 60 billion data points annually, allowing for precise monitoring and adjustment of environmental variables.
Source: FORBES