JAPANESE leafy vegetables are being grown and harvested at Bunyip, Victoria, using innovative hydroponic germination and growing conditions inside glasshouses that will realise 20 harvests per year.
Controlled environments, terraced growing systems, water saving technologies and no pesticides are features of the vegetable production system, called Napper land.
It is the first vegetable growing system of its kind in Victoria and utilises Victoria’s export reputation in the horticulture industry.
The Japanese company behind the venture intends to export both vegetables and the growing methods from its Australian base.
Japan’s Mitsubishi Plastics Group is known for manufacturing cars, plastic and other materials, chemicals, fertilisers and even diaper linings.
This century, Mitsubishi expanded its interest in manufacturing plastic to build greenhouses, to create plant factories using technology to grow food.
The agriculture venture at Bunyip is the company’s first involvement in food production in Australia, through Kaiteki Fresh.
According to Kaiteki chief operating officer, Shoji Yamaguchi, quarantine restrictions preventing Japanese export of agricultural produce to Australia predicated the move into food production in Australia.
These reasons were combined with a philosophy of healthy and sustainable food production, strongly supported by Australia's clean and green image, Dr Yamaguchi said.
“The relationship between Kaiteki and Victoria’s department of primary industries for water saving agriculture, studied technologies to combat droughts and water flow problems in Australia,” he said.
“We grew tomatoes at Knoxfield using Nae terrace and Napper land system.
“That brought us to Bunyip, where we started construction in January this year.”
In Japan, since the 1990s the Napper land glasshouse hydroponic system has been used to grow spinach, herbs such as basil and parsley, lettuces, green onions and garlic, even chrysanthemums.
The focus is on using small land mass and no pesticides to grow fresh vegetables.
The farm at Bunyip has a long history of agricultural production, using the town’s domestic water supply and sewage system.
It began as a dairy farm and in 1987 was purchased by Vince Dijkstra, who operated award-winning Iona Flora – Australia’s largest grower of Alstroemeria – from the site, until the end of last year.
He grew the flowers in peat inside 3ha of greenhouses.
Mr Dijkstra’s son, Ilja, still grows flowers commercially and works as production manager for Kaiteki.
The existing infrastructure and horticulture workforce were major drawcards for Mitsubishi to establish Kaiteki Fresh at Bunyip earlier this year.
Expected annual production from the 0.5ha glasshouse is 80 tonnes; that will increase if Kaiteki goes ahead with plans to expand the growing area to 4ha of glasshouses by 2020.
The artificial light seedling production system and the nutrients and flow technique to the leafy vegetable crops were considered secret by Mitsubishi.
“We don’t want our competitors to know what we are doing,” Dr Yamaguchi said.
Seeds are germinated in terraces in four stages, on the one shelving system, in artificial light – called the Nae Terasu, or seedling terrace.
It is a seedling production system with controlled temperature, fluorescent light, culture solutions, carbon dioxide gases and wind generated to circulate moisture, all contained within vaults.
It enables vegetable seeds, imported from Japan or sourced in Australia, to be raised within 10 days.
Using the Japanese Napper land system, seedlings are transplanted in the glasshouse into beds lined with plastic film and fed by a recirculated water, nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous solution, with added nutrients.
The leafy greens are ready to be harvested three weeks later.
The quick turnaround between sowing and harvesting is a key factor in the types of vegetables grown and the return on investment.
“Our system enables planned production of high quality seedlings and vegetables without being affected by the season or weather,” Dr Yamaguchi said.
Mitsubishi aimed to sell the technology and growing systems into overseas countries, including Singapore, Hong Kong, Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia and South America.
The production system was developed with an ageing population and potential for share-cropping in mind.
Dr Yamaguchi said older people and others with limited physical capacity could invest in the technology and grow vegetables to provide an income.
It was part of a strategy to promote growing healthy food irrespective of environment; and consequently support a healthier population.
In the meantime, the Kaiteki workforce is growing three types of leafy green vegetables for Victorian, New South Wales and export customers – Japanese spinach, Japanese rocket and Australian kale.
Of the expected annual 80 tonnes crop, 60 per cent was for domestic supply and the balance exported.
Dr Yamaguchi said there was capacity to expand the diversity of crops grown, including a range of herbs and tomatoes.
“It depends on what the market wants and the value of the product,” he said.
“For instance, in Abu Dhabi the weather gets very hot and unstable, but our system enables vegetables to be grown underground in dark basements.
“We can also grow vegetables on vertically integrated shelves when there are further restrictions in space.”