Food in the 'box'

Sustainable solutions

Compared to traditional agriculture that relies heavily on weather conditions, vertical farming represents a facet of urban farming aimed at achieving more stable, efficient, fresh and environmentally-friendly food supply with technologies all year round.

The containers have six different planting systems tailored to growing products such as vegetables, mushrooms, forage and tall plants. Due to vertical farming, the planting efficiency of a single container is up to seven times that of conventional land farming. Each container achieves automated planting and can be remotely controlled to adjust environmental settings.

Farm66 has received large orders from Japan, Malaysia and the Middle East, with others expected to come from Canada, Thailand and Singapore. Agriculture in these regions is threatened by extreme weather, pollution, land shortage and adverse environments.

Wasabi and chili peppers are highly favored in Japan and Malaysia, but their cultivation demands stringent environmental conditions. In recent years, their production has declined due to prolonged rainfall, high temperatures and water pollution. Japan saw its wasabi production halved from 2012 to 2022.

Nestle Malaysia and a Japanese conglomerate have each ordered 50 container farms from Farm66 to ensure a stable supply of chili sauce and wasabi conservation.

Besides vegetables, forage projects are also promising as nutrients can be added to animals' diet to improve digestion if they are fed with fresh pasture grass. "Not just horses — grass is also good for pigs and geese," says Tam.

The entrepreneur is talking to horseracing organizations about supplying forage for hundreds of horses. Other potential clients include farms in Xinjiang that breed black-hair pigs known for their superior meat quality, as well as goose farmers in Fujian province.

The system's applications aren't confined to land. Farm66 is collaborating with a shipping company in Xiamen, Fujian province, to explore planting agricultural products on ships. In the long term, the company may team up with Hong Kong's Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, offering cruise passengers fresh vegetables from its mobile farms.

Based on the movable farms, Farm66 has also cultivated products that are unsuitable for long-distance transportation, like edible flowers and colorful mushrooms, and researched growing high-value traditional Chinese medicine herbs and high quality fishery products.

In view of the mainland's vibrant night economy and broadcasting industry, the firm aims to sell products that would appeal to night market consumers, and auction high-end products online in collaboration with internet celebrities.