Robot-run lettuce farm to open in Japan

A Japanese farm will replace farm workers with robots, producing 50,000 lettuces per day while dramatically reducing labour, energy and water costs.

Dubbed the Vegetable Factory, the vast indoor farm, run by vegetable producer Spread, will use industrial robots to carry out tasks ranging from replanting young seedlings to watering, trimming and harvesting crops. Initial seed planting will still be performed by humans.

The new farm is an extension of Spread’s existing Kameoka farm and will use technologies such as automated cultivation, water recycling systems, specialised LEDs and an air-conditioning control system to cut labour costs by 50%, energy costs by 30% and construction costs by 25%.

The plant’s recycling, filtering and sterilisation system aims to recycle 98% of the water used and reduce the amount of water required to 0.11 L per head of lettuce, compared with 10.725 L per head in conventional farming, according to the company.

The produce will be grown on floor-to-ceiling shelves.

Originally published here.