Fully Artificial Light Type Plant Factory AN to be Introduced for the First Time, and Cultivation to Start in Oi-Cho, Fukui Prefecture, in October
—Contributing to solving food supply issues through the stable supply of delicious and safe vegetables—
March 23, 2023
The Mitsubishi Chemical Group (the MCG Group) hereby announces that the fully artificial light type plant factory AN, which was developed by Mitsubishi Chemical Aqua Solutions Co., Ltd. (MCAS), will be introduced to a plant factory planned to be established in Oi-cho, Fukui Prefecture, and cultivation will start in October 2023.
Plant factories, which are not affected by climate change, have been attracting more and more attention in recent years as a means of ensuring stable supplies of agricultural products. In addition, demand for vegetables of stable quality that have few bacteria and foreign substances has been rising due to increased use of home-meal replacement services, including takeout and delivery.
AN is a plant factory system for business purposes with the concept of harvesting high-quality vegetables. The system has achieved thorough improvements in cultivation efficiency and a reduction in the number of bacteria and production costs. Taking advantage of this first introduction, the MCG Group will contribute toward solving problems of food supply by promoting sales of AN in Japan and overseas.
2.Plant factory where AN will be introduced for the first time
Tagayasu Inc. (Headquarters: Osaka) will introduce AN to a large-scale plant factory it plans to build in Oi-cho, Fukui Prefecture. Tagayasu will operate the business, including production and sales of vegetables, while MCAS will sell seeds, culture media and liquid fertilizer to Tagayasu and provide cultivation guidance.
Start of cultivation: October 1, 2023 (planned)
Construction site: Oi-cho, Oi-gun, Fukui Prefecture
Total floor area: 3,700 ㎡
Vegetables cultivated: Frilled lettuce, etc.
Harvested weight: Approximately 1.3 t/day (converted at approximately 300 g/plant of frilled lettuce)
Main features of AN
The product name for MCAS's fully artificial light type plant factory "AN" is named after "Agriculture Next."
AN is a next-generation closed-type plant factory system that enables planned year-round production by hydroponic culture and other methods that can control artificial light, air-conditioning equipment and culture fluid in a closed space without using sunlight.
・In the system, planted seedlings grow while automatically circulating in the cultivation room. The system enables workers to complete processes up to harvesting without entering the cultivation room, reducing their labor and the risk of contamination by foreign matter.
・The system can automatically control the cultivation environment optimal for lettuce (frilled lettuce, batavia lettuce, romaine lettuce, etc.), enabling stable cultivation of large, thick, crunchy and high-quality lettuce ideal for commercial use and cut vegetables.
・The number of bacteria in lettuce grown in AN is 102 to 103 per gram, with little change or variation occurring. (The number of bacteria is measured by an inspection company.)
Top: Lettuce grown in AN Bottom: Lettuce grown in the MCG Group’s conventional artificial light type plant factory
Fully artificial light type plant factory AN
Mitsubishi Chemical Aqua Solutions Co., Ltd. (MCAS)
MCAS is a pioneer in the development and sales of plant factory systems. In addition to the development and sales of Napperland™, a hydroponics system for leafy vegetables that uses the Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) method, the company markets plant factory systems using the NFT method for tomatoes and cucumbers. The company has also sold more than 500 units of Nae-terrace™, an artificial light seedling production system. The system is being used by seedling production industries, agricultural workers and companies, research institutes and other organizations. MCAS has a sales record of 120 locations in Japan and 25 in China for a sunlight type plant factory system that combines Napperland™ and Nae-terrace™. https://www.mcas.co.jp/en/
Plant factories, which are not affected by climate change, have been attracting more and more attention in recent years as a means of ensuring stable supplies of agricultural products. In addition, demand for vegetables of stable quality that have few bacteria and foreign substances has been rising due to increased use of home-meal replacement services, including takeout and delivery.
AN is a plant factory system for business purposes with the concept of harvesting high-quality vegetables. The system has achieved thorough improvements in cultivation efficiency and a reduction in the number of bacteria and production costs. Taking advantage of this first introduction, the MCG Group will contribute toward solving problems of food supply by promoting sales of AN in Japan and overseas.
Frilled lettuce harvested in AN
1.Fully artificial light type plant factory AN
AN is a fully artificial light type plant factory system jointly developed by MCAS and Creo Technology Inc. (Headquarters: Hiki-gun, Saitama Prefecture). In the system, planted seedlings grow while automatically circulating in a cultivation room. The system enables workers to complete processes up to harvesting without entering the cultivation room, reducing the risk of contamination by foreign matter. In addition, by controlling light and airflow in the cultivation room, the system enables production of high-quality and durable frilled lettuce that can be used for commercial and processing purposes. About 300g or more per plant of frilled lettuce, a yield three times that of the MCG Group’s conventional fully artificial light plant factories, can be harvested about 45 days after sowing.2.Plant factory where AN will be introduced for the first time
Tagayasu Inc. (Headquarters: Osaka) will introduce AN to a large-scale plant factory it plans to build in Oi-cho, Fukui Prefecture. Tagayasu will operate the business, including production and sales of vegetables, while MCAS will sell seeds, culture media and liquid fertilizer to Tagayasu and provide cultivation guidance.
Start of cultivation: October 1, 2023 (planned)
Construction site: Oi-cho, Oi-gun, Fukui Prefecture
Total floor area: 3,700 ㎡
Vegetables cultivated: Frilled lettuce, etc.
Harvested weight: Approximately 1.3 t/day (converted at approximately 300 g/plant of frilled lettuce)
Main features of AN
The product name for MCAS's fully artificial light type plant factory "AN" is named after "Agriculture Next."
AN is a next-generation closed-type plant factory system that enables planned year-round production by hydroponic culture and other methods that can control artificial light, air-conditioning equipment and culture fluid in a closed space without using sunlight.
・In the system, planted seedlings grow while automatically circulating in the cultivation room. The system enables workers to complete processes up to harvesting without entering the cultivation room, reducing their labor and the risk of contamination by foreign matter.
・The system can automatically control the cultivation environment optimal for lettuce (frilled lettuce, batavia lettuce, romaine lettuce, etc.), enabling stable cultivation of large, thick, crunchy and high-quality lettuce ideal for commercial use and cut vegetables.
・The number of bacteria in lettuce grown in AN is 102 to 103 per gram, with little change or variation occurring. (The number of bacteria is measured by an inspection company.)
Top: Lettuce grown in AN Bottom: Lettuce grown in the MCG Group’s conventional artificial light type plant factory
Fully artificial light type plant factory AN
Mitsubishi Chemical Aqua Solutions Co., Ltd. (MCAS)
MCAS is a pioneer in the development and sales of plant factory systems. In addition to the development and sales of Napperland™, a hydroponics system for leafy vegetables that uses the Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) method, the company markets plant factory systems using the NFT method for tomatoes and cucumbers. The company has also sold more than 500 units of Nae-terrace™, an artificial light seedling production system. The system is being used by seedling production industries, agricultural workers and companies, research institutes and other organizations. MCAS has a sales record of 120 locations in Japan and 25 in China for a sunlight type plant factory system that combines Napperland™ and Nae-terrace™. https://www.mcas.co.jp/en/
