"With rapid global warming, the cold room, not the greenhouse, is now more important for farming. The cold-room cultivation has increased sales by 20% as tomatoes have been harvested since September, when the price of gold is high."
The 'Jackpot Farm' in Gimje, Jeollabuk-do was recently visited by a Korean journalist. Tomatoes of various colors from dark green to pale red were growing in the 7,500 pyeong glass green room. Huh Jung-soo, CEO of Daebak Farm, said, "The annual sales increased by 20% thanks to the addition of cooling function to the greenhouse to advance the harvest period."
Daebak Farm has installed and operated 18 "USX Edge," a high-end carrier heat pump model in 2023. The installation of a heat pump by the Daebak Farm was a strategy to increase the harvest from September, when tomatoes are the most expensive. Tomatoes grow best at around 25 degrees Celsius per day and 15 degrees Celsius at night, and their growth rapidly decreases when the temperature rises above 35 degrees Celsius. The Daebak Farm used the cooling room function to promote summer growth.
Prior to the installation of the heat pump, the jackpot farm, like other farms, harvested tomatoes from mid-October to mid-July of the following year. However, after the cooling room function allows the timing of the harvest to be adjusted, tomatoes are produced from early September to mid-June of the following year. The annual sales of the jackpot farm increased from 1.5 billion won to 1.8 billion won as tomatoes were avoided from mid-June to mid-July, the lowest season for tomatoes, and tomatoes were sold from September, the most precious time.
Read more at Maeil Business News
