A new vertical smart farm in Icheon, South Korea, now enables the year-round production of strawberries regardless of extreme summer heat [1, 2].
This development addresses the seasonal and temperature limitations of traditional strawberry cultivation. By utilizing a controlled indoor environment, the system ensures a stable food supply and consistent crop quality even during the hottest months of the year [1, 2].
The facility is located inside a large logistics warehouse in Gyeonggi Province [1, 2]. It features a 10-layer vertical cultivation system that employs water-cooled LEDs and movable light sources to optimize plant growth [1, 2].
Choi Myung-shin, a YTN reporter, said the system increases productivity by more than 20% compared to existing smart farms [1]. Simultaneously, the facility has reduced energy consumption by more than 38% [1].
The scale of the operation involves 27,000 seedlings [1]. From this number of plants, the smart farm is expected to yield 27 tonnes of strawberries per year [1].
"An era has opened where we can taste sweet and sour strawberries even in the middle of summer," a YTN anchor said [1].
The use of a logistics warehouse for agricultural production demonstrates a shift toward urban and industrial integration of farming. The movable light sources and cooling technology allow the facility to maintain precise conditions that would be impossible in an open field during a heatwave [1, 2].
“The system increases productivity by more than 20% compared to existing smart farms.”
The integration of high-efficiency LED technology into industrial logistics spaces suggests a trend toward 'hyper-local' agriculture. By reducing the energy overhead and increasing yield per square meter, this model provides a blueprint for mitigating the impact of climate volatility on high-value specialty crops.
