The world’s largest hydroponic farm Bustanica has opened its doors in Dubai, backed by an investment of $40 million.
The facility is the first vertical farm for Emirates Crop One, the joint venture between Emirates Flight Catering (EKFC), and Crop One, an industry leader in technology-driven indoor vertical farming, read a press release received on Tuesday.
Located near Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central, the 3,30,000sqft facility is geared to produce more than 10,00,000 kilograms of high-quality leafy greens annually, while requiring 95 per cent less water than conventional agriculture.
At any point in time, the facility grows in excess of 1m cultivars (plants), which will provide an output of 3,000 kgs per day.
Passengers on Emirates and other airlines can look forward to forking these delicious leafy greens, including lettuces, arugula, mixed salad greens, and spinach, onboard their flights from July.
UAE consumers will soon be able to add these greens to their shopping carts at the nearest supermarkets. Bustanica also plans to expand into the production and sale of fruits and vegetables.
The farm’s closed-loop system is designed to circulate water through the plants to maximise water usage and efficiency. When the water vaporises, it is recovered and recycled into the system, saving 250m litres of water every year compared to traditional outdoor farming for the same output.
Emirates now operates 21 weekly flights from Dhaka, and via Dubai offers convenient connections to over 130 destinations worldwide.
