10 Top Vertical Farming Companies in India

With vertical farming making rapid strides, we see the emergence of the top vertical farming companies in India. Read on, as we elaborate on everything that you need to know about them.

India has a huge, growing population to feed. And, that’s a challenge more so in the lack of rapidly decreasing arable land and changing climate. Vertical farming can be the answer to India’s food security. Think of it as cutting-edge technology with the potential to revolutionize farming.

What is Vertical Farming?

For starters, vertical farming is an agriculture practice, wherein, food is grown in vertically stacked layers through hydroponic or aeroponic techniques. The cultivation doesn’t happen in soil but either in a nutrient-rich solution (Hydroponic) or a nutrient-rich mist (Aeroponics) sprinkled on roots. From light and temperature to humidity, CO2, & nutrition, the conditions are controlled for higher, faster, and superior yield. The cultivation happens indoors with weather intervention eliminated outright. 

Vertical farming takes place in vertical, tower-like structures instead of open fields. Since the arrangement saves a lot of space, vertical farming is ideal for urban centers where arable land is insufficient. A vertical farm resembles a warehouse with plants stacked on huge shelves, one over the other.

The Components of Vertical Farming:

Let’s walk you through the key components of vertical farming for an in-depth understanding of the concept. It’s important to mention that the components may be different for different systems.

1. Growing Structures

The growing structures are the core component of vertical farming. These can be racks, shelves, towers, or anything else that can hold plants securely in vertical layers and let them grow.

2. Growing Medium

In this arrangement, the plants grow in a medium. The medium can be anything, from the soil and nutrient-rich solution (hydroponics) to mist (aeroponics) and more. You might even come across vertical farms that use aquaponics (aquaculture + hydroponics) as a medium of cultivation.

3. Lighting System

In a vertical farming setup, sufficient sunlight isn’t available for plants to perform photosynthesis. So, you require specialized lighting like LED Grow lights to promote plant growth in a vertical farm.

4. Nutrient Delivery System

Plants need proper nutrition to grow. That’s where nutrient delivery systems kick in, transporting nutrition to each plant across the vertical farm. Companies generally use solution-based nutrition systems but more sophisticated automated dosing systems are also readily available.

5. Climate Control System

Maintaining the right climatic conditions in the vertical farm is important for optimal yield. Thus, you need to put in place HVAC (heating, ventilation & air conditioning) systems to regulate the humidity, airflow, and temperature levels within the farm. You may install sensors to automate things.

6. Irrigation System

Depending on the growing system and plant type, you have multiple choices for irrigating your plants. It could be Drip Irrigation, Vertical Stack System, Ebb & Flow System, or Capillary Matting.

7. Monitoring Systems

Keeping track of and regulating the temperature, moisture, and nutrient levels is vital. You can achieve this through a system of cleverly positioned sensors, meters, and control systems.

8. Integrated Pest Management

You need Integrated pest management (IPM) to counter the menace of pests. IPM refers to the use of chemical and non-chemical practices that are effective, economical, and safe for people and the planet.

9. Technology Component

The technology component in vertical farming includes specialized software that helps you gather data, manage crops, and optimize resources. You also need data and analytic tools to make sense of data on plant growth, growing conditions, and other factors, and arrive at informed decisions.

10. Energy Source

A vertical farm is a power-intensive operation. It requires a constant and stable energy source to power the lighting, climate control, monitoring, and other systems. A handful of the top vertical farming companies in India use renewable energy options to limit their carbon footprint.

11. Equipment and Tools

Depending on what you grow, some tools and equipment are an integral part of vertical farming.

• • Harvesting Tools: You require specially designed scissors, knives, trolleys or carts, trays, nets, bags, pruning shears, and more for efficient, safe, and hassle-free harvesting.
  • Processing Tools: There’s a also need to invest in weighing & measuring devices, labeling & printing equipment, food processing machines, packaging equipment, dehydrators, cutting & trimming tools, sorting & grading machines, and cleaning & washing equipment.
  • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Personal safety is vital, which is why you need a full set of personal protective gear, including gloves, goggles, and aprons among others.

Why Vertical Farming is the Future of Agriculture? 

Vertical farming is an advantage big enough to be hailed as the future of agriculture. Here’s why.

1. All-year food supply

With plants grown in a controlled environment, vertical farming pushes weather out of the equation. Traditional farming affords just two harvest seasons per year, while in vertical farming, they can be as many as 15. As such, a constant supply of high-quality foods all year round is ensured. 

2. Resource Efficient

Traditional farming takes a heavy toll on space, water, and other resources. On the contrary, vertical farming involves cultivation in tower-like structures, making the most of the space and water.

3. Lower Environmental Impact  

Vertical farming is way more sustainable than horizontal farming. Here, the focus is on providing the right nutrition without using pesticides and other chemicals that might harm the planet and people.

4. Fewer transportation costs and hassles

The need to transport the produce over long distances is eliminated, as vertical farming supplies fresh produce to cater to the local demand. The transportation costs & hassles are, thus, restricted.

6. Lower Occupational Hazards

Vertical farming reduces the occupational hazards that are otherwise central to horizontal farming. 

Disadvantages of Vertical Farming: 

Vertical farming comes with trade-offs. And, you should know them too.

Top 10 Vertical Farming Companies in India

With the rapid rise in vertical farming, a large number of vertical farming companies have cropped up in India and across the world. Some of them are bigger, better equipped, and more innovative than the rest. Join us, as we take you through the leading vertical farming companies in India. We ranked them from 1 to 10 based on their products, quality, prices, and other major parameters.

1. AeroFarms

AeroFarms is an undisputed leader in the vertical farming segment. The Certified B Corporation has come up with an innovative agriculture platform that supports an extensive variety of products with better flavor and higher nutrition. The platform utilizes 96% less water, no pesticides, and maintains a high level of traceability. The company uses proprietary aeroponics for a better yield. 

Since 2004, AeroFarms has been using the best practices in horticulture, genetics, and data sciences to produce plants in more than 550 varieties. From tomatoes to berries and everything in between, you name it. The plants grow in all weather conditions and seasons, which makes them existentially useful for a world facing a food crisis. The company prefers building vertical farms close to urban centers to ensure easy production and distribution throughout the year.

Undisputedly, AeroFarms could be one of the vertical farming companies to invest in. 

• Since: 2004
• Status: Public traded
• Employees: 130+
• Founders: David Rosenberg, Marc Oshima, Edward Harwood
• Headquarters: New Jersey, USA
• Website: https://www.aerofarms.com/

2. Top Vertical Farming Companies in India: Bowery Farming

Based out of New York, Bowery Farming has been around since 2014. With a high-caliber proprietary platform, the company builds smart indoor farms. The idea is to provide the right environment for plants to grow all year round, no matter what the weather or season. No pesticides are used to ensure safer foods for health-conscious folks. Moreover, the company emphasizes developing non-GMO varieties with better quality, richer flavor, and way higher amounts of nutrition. The emphasis is also on adopting breakthrough vertical farming technology for better results.

Bowery Farming’s proprietary platform with a stacked design delivers over 100 times higher production in the same space as compared to outdoor farms. The company uses eco-star PET for packaging to keep the freshness and quality intact. Thus far, the company has attracted $472 million in funding. That makes it one of the top vertical farming companies in India with a $2.3 billion valuation. With funding flowing in, the company does not plan to go public anytime soon. Interestingly, the name, Bowery comes from the namesake neighborhood in New York.

• Since: 2014
• Founder: Irving Fain
• Employees: 251+
• Valuations: $2.3 billion
• Headquarters: New York
• Website: https://boweryfarming.com/

3. Bright Farm

Bright Farm continues to set standards in vertical farming. The New York-based company’s vertical farming business model is simple. It grows and supplies salad greens to Walmart and other retail giants across the US. The produce is fresh and lacks any GMOs, pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides. The company uses integrated hydroponic greenhouses and innovative techniques to guarantee high-quality yield with 80 percent and 90 percent less water and land respectively.

Bright Farms has complete control over quality. That’s because the greens are grown, harvested, and packed indoors. Since the plantation happens in water in controlled environments, the products arrive fresh and clean. You don’t even require rinsing it. Moreover, the diversity of greens is extensive, including sunny crunch, baby spinach, spring mix, baby arugula, basil, baby butter, and more. The company owns farms in Bucks County, Culpeper County, Wilmington, and Rochelle.

• Since: 2010
• Status: Private
• Founder: Ted Caplow and Paul Lightfoot
• Employees: 180
• Revenue: 15 Million USD
• Headquarters: Irvington, New York
• Website: https://www.brightfarms.com/

4. Top Vertical Farming Companies in India: Freight Farm

For Freight Farm, quality food isn’t a luxury. Rather, it’s a right. That’s why it ensures a consistent supply of local, healthy, and fresh food internationally through a flourishing network of farmers. The company offers a comprehensive platform of products and services to ensure easy access to local produce. Freight Farm has set up 200 farms globally, from Canada to the Middle East. Also, the company offers integrated farming programs to create forward-looking farmers.

The company is credited with introducing the concept of “container farms.” Herein, the farming system is installed in a freight container to grow plants using nutrient solutions instead of soil. Perhaps, that speaks for the name, Freight Farm. Come 2018, Freight Farm came up with “Grown by Freight Farms.” It’s a farming service to help communities grow plants on-site without staffing their containers. “Farmhand” is its flagship software to automate hydroponic farm management. Freight Farm might plan to introduce a vertical farming business in India soon.

• Since: 2010
• Status: Private
• Founder: Brad McNamaraon and John Friedman
• Employees: 56
• Revenue: $57,000 yearly
• Headquarters: Boston, United States
• Website: https://www.freightfarms.com/

5. Top Vertical Farming Companies in India: Intelligent Growth Solutions

Intelligent Growth Solutions (IGS) is among India’s top vertical farming companies and the world with a 92-strong workforce and $18 Million annual revenue. Calling Edinburg (UK) as home, the company offers globally recognized, best-in-class solutions for vertical farmers. The company’s flagship communications platform, powered by IoT, allows vertical farms to increase their efficiency and reduce wastage. That makes the platform something of a revolution in indoor farming.

IGS Platform ensures the right environment for plants to grow and for farmers to flourish. The platform makes the most of multi-spectral lighting to provide the appropriate lighting for optimal plant growth. An inventive watering and rain harvesting system are also there to reduce water usage significantly. The system cut down labor by 80% and energy by 50% while upping the yield by 225% as opposed to similar indoor environments. With a passion for innovation, IGS is expected to grow phenomenally.

• Since: 2013
• Headquarters: Edinburg, UK
• Founders: Henry Aykroyd & Dave Scott
• Employees: 92+
• Revenue: $18 Million
• Website: www.intelligentgrowthsolutions.com/

You can also Check:

• Top 10 Hydroponics Startups in India
• Top 10 Contract Farming Companies in India
• Top 10 Aquaculture Companies in India

6. Top Vertical Farming Companies in India: Barton Breeze

Barton Breeze is redefining the farming experience with a blend of innovation and resource productivity. Based out of Gurugram, the company is committed to producing high-quality, nutritious, flavorful, and pesticide-free foods through sustainable means. To this end, it uses innovative models based on cutting-edge farming methods and industry best practices. Barton’s model can restrict water usage by 95% and fertilizer usage by 40% and speed up plant growth.

In fact, leafy greens can be grown in as few as 12 days. Barton provides farmers with full control over the growing process, allowing them to deliver traceable produce to their customers. The company’s data center gathers data from a flourishing network of data points to optimize farm settings for taste, hue, and nutrition. Thanks to the data, the company can alter moisture and temperature for a better yield. Also, the data allows for computing sales projections.

• Since: 2015
• Headquarters: Gurugram, Haryana, India
• Founders: Dr. Brahma Singh, Sanjay Sood, Dheeraj Joshi
• Employees: 25
• Revenue: $5 Million
• Website: https://www.bartonbreeze.com/

7. Urban Crop Solutions

Urban Crop Solutions is one of the leading sources available when it comes to automated vertical farming systems. The company offers container systems in three options, small size, mid-size, and large size to support every requirement.

Turnkey and automated, the system can be conveniently synchronized with the existing indoor farming facilities. UCS focuses on producing fresh and healthy leafy greens, herbs, and microgreens devoid of harmful pesticides and herbicides.

• Since: 2014
• Headquarters: Waregem, Belgium
• Founders: Frederic Bulcaen, Maarten Vandecruys
• Employees: 50
• Revenue: $7 million
• Website: www.urbancropsolutions.com

8. Sasaki

Sasaki is essentially a property development company with a vision for vertical farming. As one of the leading vertical farming companies in Asia, the company has been designing buildings that support indoor farming. “Sunqiao Urban Agricultural District” is its flagship project, built over 100 hectares in the heart of Shangai.

The project features world-class vertical farming systems to meet the growing demand for local products, including bok choi, kale, spinach, and other leafy greens. The company has been around since 1953, offering architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, civil engineering, urban design, and space planning solutions.

Sasaki is a recipient of America’s planning association firm in 2012 and achieved a landscape architecture firm award in 2007. There are millions of subscribers in India. That places Sasaki among the top vertical farming companies in India and the world.

9. Badia farms

Badia Farms is bridging the gap between the farm and the dinner plate in the Middle East. The company has set up the region’s first vertical farm in Dubai, ensuring a steady supply of fresh, local microgreens and herbs. Farming is done through the hydroponic method. For the uninitiated, the hydroponic method uses nutrient solutions for growing plants instead of soil.

Badia Farms grow plants minus sunlight, pesticides, or other harmful chemicals. Energy-efficient and environmentally friendly, the farming techniques reduce water usage by 80 percent. Over the years, Bardia Farms has been generously investing in developing leading-edge technology to stay progressive. As a side note, the name Badia comes from an Arabic word for Oasis.

• Since: 2016
• Headquarters: Dubai, UAE
• Founder: Omar Al Jundi
• Employees: N/A
• Website: https://www.badiafarms.com/

10. Altius Farms

Altius Farms is committed to ensuring food security through state-of-the-art indoor farming solutions. Based out of Greater Denver Area (USA), the company keeps a steady supply of hyper-local, fresh veggies and fruits, all year round.

The focus is on sustainable production without relying on pesticides. The company prefers vertical aeroponic techniques, resulting in a 10X yield with 90% less land and 95% less water. It achieves harvest once a month, which is commendable.

In six years of existence, awards and recognitions have come thick and fast for Altius Farms. It has earned the Colorado Impact Days Company award for two successive years, 2016 and 2017. That places it among the best vertical farming companies in the world.

• Since: 2015
• Headquarters: Greater Denver Area, Colorado, USA
• Founder: Sally Herbert
• Employees: 1 – 10
• Website: https://altiusfarms.com/

How to Set Up Your Own Vertical Farming Company? 

The success of the above-mentioned vertical farming companies in India is simply inspiring. If you have a background in agriculture, horticulture, technology, or business management, you too can consider setting up and running a successful vertical farm. Here’s how to go about it.

Research Deep and Plan Well:

Every business should start with research & planning. Vertical farming isn’t an exception either.

• • To begin with, you should carry out market research to know about the viability of vertical farming in your region. It will also help you identify potential buyers for your products.
  • Once the research is over, it’s time to define your business goals, target market, and what makes you different from the competition. This will go a long way in helping you grow.
  • Next, have a comprehensive business plan in place. Ideally, it should feature everything, from financial projections to marketing strategies, and other operational details.

Set up a Company & Attain Licenses:

When the research and planning part is done, you should focus on meeting the legal requirements.

• • You need to choose your company structure from options like Sole Proprietorship, Private Limited Company, Partnership, and more. Next, register the company accordingly.
  • Following this, you should apply for the licenses and permits that allow you to operate legally. Depending on the laws applicable in your area, you need a trade license, food safety license, pesticide license, seed license, water permit, building permit, and environmental clearance.

Get a Suitable Location:

• • Now that you have a company and the necessary licenses, you need to shift your focus to getting hold of a suitable location for your vertical farm. Ideally, the location should be near the target market, easily accessible with proper road connectivity & offer plenty of space.

Put Together the Infrastructure:

• • This is perhaps the most important yet tedious part of the process. You have to go through the hassle of putting together all the components of vertical farming. These include growing systems, nutrition delivery systems, climate control, irrigation systems, lighting, and tech.

Select the Crop and Start Cultivation:

• • You have to be careful when selecting the crop for cultivation. Since profitability is important, you have to factor in the market demand and price trends of the crop you wish to cultivate. Also, consider the space and investment the crop requires, and how disease-resistant and resource-efficient the crop is, alongside your personal interest and expertise.
  • Now, it’s time to set up the cultivation areas. You could start by having vertical growing towers, racks, or shelves in place. Ensure maintaining the right distance, depending on the crop. Also, make the most of the natural lighting to limit your power bills.

Tips: It is wise to access expert advice, attend workshops, and be a part of relevant industry associations to gain knowledge and stay updated with the latest advancements in the field.

Conclusion

So, this was our list of vertical farming companies in India. These companies are diligently catering to the country’s food requirements through some leading-edge technologies. Hope you liked it. For more such quality content, watch the space.