The concept of vertical farming is one that’s growing in the UK. It offers farmers a way of producing crops all year round, even of produce that’s incredibly seasonal. It’s therefore easy to see why it’s an area that the farming industry is keen to explore.
Vertical farming is defined as growing crops in stacked layers, often in a controlled environment. This means it can be housed in buildings, but in some cases shipping containers are also being used for this kind of agriculture.
Farmers Weekly recently explained why the practice of vertical farming is growing in popularity in the UK, as well as highlighting the challenges that the sector faces.
LED lighting provides the light that the plants need. This can be precisely controlled and altered for every growing phase. One of the main reasons to support vertical farming is that it allows crops to be grown and then sold locally, even in urban areas.
One of the downsides is the relatively high cost of setting up a vertical farming unit, however, which means at the moment they’re typically restricted to high-value crops. Energy use is another challenge, because these units need to be lit and heated in order to enable crops to grow successfully.
In the US, some grocery stores have even started introducing mini vertical farms into their stores, enabling customers to pick their own lettuces and herbs from the plants that have been grown using hydroponics, right in the store, Citylab reported.
If you’re interested in buying used shipping containers to set up a vertical farm, get in touch with us about the shipping containers we have available.
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