The largest vertical farm in Europe is currently being developed in Lithuania. The business has already attracted 6 million euros in investment, and more is expected over the summer. According to Valentinas Civinskas, CEO of Leafood, the developer of the vertical farm, this technology will allow Lithuanians to enjoy fresh quality produce all year round. At first, the farm will grow various types of lettuce and herbs but is also planning to include berries and vegetables in the future.
When he lived in Denmark, Civinskas noticed that supermarkets lacked local produce. The same is the case in Lithuania. This prompted him to create a vertical farm in Vilnius. “Because it’s grown indoors, we can control the environment. Our sun is fluorescent lamps. We won’t be using soil, it will be grown in a gelponics way, which is a mixture of hydroponics and gel. It is a patented technology where the seed is placed in a gel substrate and absorbed in water,” explains Civinskas. The technology will also create day and night conditions for the plants, as well as wind.
On traditional farms, the amount of land farmed is measured in hectares, whereas on a vertical farm, the scale is estimated in height. There will be fourteen floors, 4,000 square metres, Civinskas said. The vertical farm will also focus on sustainability and reducing the use of fertilizers. Macro fertilizers, such as calcium and magnesium will be used, along with biofertilizers from organic products, such as soybeans and oyster shells.
“Since we are growing in water, it will be similar to nano-technology. The water will be saturated with bubbles so that the roots absorb the minerals much better. Because the water is constantly circulating, the roots only absorb what they need,” he added.
In a vertical farm, the process from planting to harvesting will be automated, so the consumer will be the first to touch the lettuce, for example. Also, it will not need to be washed, so it will remain fresh longer. The lettuce might be up to 20 percent more expensive but cheaper than organic lettuce.
According to Civinskas, it is unlikely that vertical farms will replace the regular ones, but there is plenty of space for growth: “In five or ten years, we will definitely be growing berries and all other vegetables.” While living in Denmark, he met the Taiwanese, who are one of the first developers of vertical farming and have been doing it for more than a decade. The vertical farming equipment, bought from Taiwan, is very expensive. But he expects payback in about 10 years.
