Sumitomo Chemical starts rooftop lettuce cultivation

August 17, 2017

TOKYO- Sumitomo Chemical Co. said Thursday it has started test cultivation of lettuce on a rooftop of a research facility in Singapore, as part of a project to develop a model for urban farming in Asia.

The Japanese company built a 265-square-meter agricultural greenhouse on the rooftop of the research facility of the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore, or AVA, to grow five high-quality types of lettuce including leaf lettuce.

By using a hydroponic system, which does not require soil in the cultivation process, harvesting will be possible throughout the year.

Through the test cultivation, Sumitomo Chemical hopes to establish production costs and distribution networks.

The company also plans to start urban farming in Indonesia and China, where demand for good-quality vegetables is expected to grow, possibly in 2018.

Sumitomo Chemical has been working with AVA, which promotes urban farming as a means to increase the food supply within the city-state. Jiji Press