Construction work has begun on a new vertical farm, initiated by Vertical Farms Company (VFCo), a joint venture between Mowreq Specialized Agriculture and YesHealth Group.
The farming project, set to be Saudi Arabia’s largest vertical farming project to date, is located in Riyadh. It will be a dual-purpose commercial vertical farm, with the experiential centre featuring an exhibition and dining areas.
The project is due to be completed in July, and farming operations are to begin in the second half of 2024.
The building was designed by Mowreq and YesHealth Group, with the former executing construction, along with local vendors Commitco and Darat. It was shared that YesHealth Group is responsible for constructing the vertical farm.
The farm will be 15 meters tall with a total growing area of 20,000 square metres spread over 19 layers, capable of producing up to 2,200 kilograms of leafy greens per day.
Produce will include full-size lettuces, cruciferous vegetables, baby leaves, and specialty crops such as edible flowers.
“This project has been carefully coordinated by our teams in Saudi Arabia and Taiwan,” commented Jesper Hansen, Chief Commercial Officer at YesHealth Group, adding: “I’m pleased to see how effectively we’re collaborating, and I must praise our Saudi partners for their solid execution. As Mowreq and contractors build the outer structure, YesHealth Group is manufacturing the equipment so it can be delivered just in time for the final phase of construction. We require three months to install the equipment and two months to test it. If everything goes to plan, then we’ll be harvesting our first crops in the fall.”