Mr. Akil Murthi, through his HMA Greens farm in Chenna, employs the hydroponic methodology to produce 16 varieties of chemical-free greens and plans for more in the future.
Mr. Akil, can we have a quick introduction about yourself?
I am Akil Murthi. I started this hydroponics project end of 2017. We began with the construction of the poly house and investing in the hydroponic equipment, etc. We finally started the first phase of farming in about March of 2018. Ever since we have been doing a lot of trial and testing to understand the ideal climatic conditions required for our crops to grow. We also were trying to get the feel of the hydroponic market in India as whole; and specifically in Chennai. For those who don't know, hydroponics is a method of farming which does not employ soil. It uses water and nutrient solutions to grow the plants through rows and rows of pipes. To this day, the yield through this method is a lot better than that in traditional farming and it also saves a lot of water in comparison to traditional farming. That, at the end of the day, is a huge plus because water is getting scarce at the moment in our country.
For people who have no prior experience in hydroponic farming, what advice would you give?
Any new comer needs to be certain on what they want to grow and the scale at which they want to operate. If they are looking at a commercial farm, I would honestly advice to do a thorough research, in terms of cost you would incur, the market you would be dealing with, etc. before beginning. If you aim at producing, say 4000 kgs a month, be sure to target customers who would buy your produce. In addition to that, know your costs. The electricity bill is a big factor to be catered to. At the end of the day, electricity is what drives your poly house equipments placed outside and inside the poly house. So, research and planning should be taken very seriously for the success of a hydroponic unit. Beware that the market in India is still very nascent in terms of hydroponic produce and the cost for hydroponic farming is a lot higher than traditional farming. When I say cost, I don’t just mean the initial cost but also the operational cost. Look at hydroponic farming as an environment friendly approach and plan it in such a way that the cost stays commercially viable for everyone involved. Hence, in hydroponic farming, research and planning is key.
What will the capital outlay be for setting up a commercially viable hydroponics farm, excluding the cost of land?
The cost factor depends on the size of the farm you choose. For example, a 10,000 sq. ft. farm, is a commercially viable scale in the hydroponic system. For that the cost would come up to about Rs 70 lakhs. This will include your poly house, your fan and pad system, the hydroponic equipment and the basic land work that will be needed for your farm. I am aware that the cost is coming down. But, currently it would be around Rs. 70 lakhs for a 10,000 sq. ft. farm, which is equivalent to quarter acre.
Will you provide technical know-how for setting up a hydroponics unit or hydroponic training?
Unfortunately, we are not currently doing that. We are also relatively new to this business and we have been getting into this in a big way only until recently. I would rather start giving technical support etc. once I am thorough with it all. I can definitely suggest members who may be ready to help set up hydroponic units. We offer support with consultancy work in terms of what sort of greens people can grow in the farm, etc. since we are also growing the produce ourselves. We don’t do hydroponic training either because we are also relatively new in this field. We would need more experience to be on a platform where we can give training. We only started this last year and every month, so far, has been offering something new to learn. Just last month I found out how certain plants require different PH levels that would be ideal. We have been learning on the go and experimenting with different seeds and varieties. We will be better equipped to offer training a little later; not now.
What vegetables do you grow in your farm currently?
The system we have incorporated is called Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) system, which caters towards leafy produces. We grow about 16 varieties of greens - all leafy vegetables. If you want to grow vegetables like cucumber, tomatoes, capsicum etc. the system to be employed would be different – not NFT. For those vegetables one would need deeper buckets. The NFT tables are very thin and hence, wouldn't have sufficient space for other vegetables. It is ideal for the leafy produce. We grow varieties of lettuce, kale, Thai basil, different types of Indian greens like palak, mustard greens, etc. We will be experimenting with another one of two varieties of greens in the coming months as well. So, 16 varieties currently with a few more down the line.
How do you manage the marketing aspect of your produce?
We do everything in house and target our consumers directly. We have our own website set up. We do same-day delivery for consumers who buy from us. We also have a section that targets wholesale customers. At the end of the day, we operate on a commercial scale. Our yield is a lot higher than that of a small farm. So, we need different avenues of sale. We do some wholesale; we have some hotels and restaurants that we cater to and we do end-consumer sale as well. At the moment marketing is done in house and we aim at growing it further. Our yield on a monthly basis is between 2000 to 4000 tons. So, we distribute it in different avenues.
What nutrients do you feed your greens with? Does the produce taste natural?
The taste is absolutely natural. We provide the plants with the same micro and macro nutrients that are found in the soil. We put it into a solution and feed it into the water provided to the plants. The same things like nitrogen, iron, manganese, etc. are fed in salt form to the water. Basically, the same thing that a plant would get from the soil is provided externally because the farm doesn't employ soil. The reason I state that this is technically a better method compared to the traditional farming, in terms of taste as well, is because today a lot of these nutrients are not available on a large scale, in soil, these days. Over the years, the soil has gotten depleted and the plants struggle to find nutrients in the soil. In hydroponics, since it is fed externally, there is no struggle for nutrients.
Is it the same for crops like tomatoes, etc.?
Yes, it is the same. We are not doing tomatoes, etc. because we haven't employed the system relevant for those crops. The NFT system is apt only for the greens. When it comes to nutrient solutions, it is the same. You need to make variations in proportion depending on the plant you grow.
Is your produce considered organic?
We haven't tried to brand our product as organic. There is a lot of confusion about how one defines organic produce. Some feel only soil-grown products can be considered organic while some differ on that point. Then there are arguments like no matter how you produce, if you don't use pesticides, it is considered organic etc. We don't use chemicals or pesticides. That way, we produce chemical-free products. We would like to position ourselves as hydroponic produce that is cleaner than the traditional produce. I feel we are better than organic in a lot many ways. In short, to answer your question. With a huge deal of confusion around organics, we haven't tried to position our produce as organic.
Have you experimented with seaweed extracts?
We have done a little bit of testing with seaweed extracts. We have a small testing station set up in our farm and we have tried seaweed extract. The growth is good but the taste is no different with or without the seaweed extract, to be honest. Again, taste is a more personal opinion. But yes, using seaweed extract is gaining traction in the European markets. Then, there is scope for it here too, perhaps.
When you compare the investment cost with controlled farming is it only a marginal difference in investment cost - with the electricity and equipment cost involved in hydroponics?
Investment wise, hydroponic is higher in all aspects. Having said that, the benefits are:
Water saver- we use 90% less water for the same amount of produce that is produced traditionally.
Faster turnaround time- crops like palak or lettuce would normally take 60-90 days growth time in soil. Here, it takes about 30-45 days.
These are the big benefits. Today, more produce tends to get lost in terms of demand vs supply. With hydroponics we can cut the lap time a lot. We can provide to the market what it actually needs instead of producing without planning or growing crops with a market price in mind but the prices sinking by the time your crop is ready. So, turnaround time is a big benefit. If you only consider investment cost in terms of operational and initial set up cost; yes, hydroponics is more expensive. But in the long-term it will come down. Again, for electricity, you can look at options like adopting solar power, for instance. That is of course, an additional capital expenditure. There are different variables for the cost factor. But yes, hydroponic farming is definitely more expensive than traditional farming.
What are the challenges one has to be cautious about in terms of hydroponic farming?
There are many challenges. Humidity and maintenance of temperature of your farm is a huge ask in hydroponic farming. That is why the fan and pad system is in place. It helps maintain the humidity and provides the necessary air flow. Maintaining the temperature of your farm, especially in a place like Chennai, can be tricky. Chennai, is in no way friendly in terms of temperature for plant growth. We have a chiller tank in place to run cold water through the roots of the plant.
Another factor is maintaining impeccable cleanliness. In hydroponics, you need to make sure that cleanliness is catered to inside the poly house. We insist on people putting shoe cover, gloves, head covers etc. before entering our farm. We have potassium per manganate solutions for our helpers to dip their feet in before they enter the farm.
Cleanliness is key! Even one batch of spoilt produce can prove to be a big hit on your potential revenue.
In hydroponics I also feel there is a lot of area saved because you grow in layers. That way one can grow in 1 acre what is grown in 40 acres of a traditional farm. Absolutely! Vertical farming enhances the yield to a much larger extent than what one would produce as traditional farmers. It is a huge plus. It is because of the vertical system and the fact that the plants get exactly what they need, that the quality and quantity aspect of farming is addressed. The growth rate of plants is also a lot better than what one gets in traditional farms.
Do you know of any government support for setting up hydroponic farms?
When we set up our farm, there wasn't much of government support per say. We didn't get subsidies on our poly house or equipment etc. Having said that, I hear that there is some change in that space too. I think NHB has been giving away subsidies on the equipment lately. I also think it differs from state to state, and not across India. I am not fully certain on this. So, please do research on this.
Akil Murthi
Director – HMA Land Pvt. Ltd.
Telephone: 04428553550
Email: akilmurthi@hmagroup.biz
Website: https://www.hmagreens.com/
Mr. Akil, can we have a quick introduction about yourself?
I am Akil Murthi. I started this hydroponics project end of 2017. We began with the construction of the poly house and investing in the hydroponic equipment, etc. We finally started the first phase of farming in about March of 2018. Ever since we have been doing a lot of trial and testing to understand the ideal climatic conditions required for our crops to grow. We also were trying to get the feel of the hydroponic market in India as whole; and specifically in Chennai. For those who don't know, hydroponics is a method of farming which does not employ soil. It uses water and nutrient solutions to grow the plants through rows and rows of pipes. To this day, the yield through this method is a lot better than that in traditional farming and it also saves a lot of water in comparison to traditional farming. That, at the end of the day, is a huge plus because water is getting scarce at the moment in our country.
For people who have no prior experience in hydroponic farming, what advice would you give?
Any new comer needs to be certain on what they want to grow and the scale at which they want to operate. If they are looking at a commercial farm, I would honestly advice to do a thorough research, in terms of cost you would incur, the market you would be dealing with, etc. before beginning. If you aim at producing, say 4000 kgs a month, be sure to target customers who would buy your produce. In addition to that, know your costs. The electricity bill is a big factor to be catered to. At the end of the day, electricity is what drives your poly house equipments placed outside and inside the poly house. So, research and planning should be taken very seriously for the success of a hydroponic unit. Beware that the market in India is still very nascent in terms of hydroponic produce and the cost for hydroponic farming is a lot higher than traditional farming. When I say cost, I don’t just mean the initial cost but also the operational cost. Look at hydroponic farming as an environment friendly approach and plan it in such a way that the cost stays commercially viable for everyone involved. Hence, in hydroponic farming, research and planning is key.
What will the capital outlay be for setting up a commercially viable hydroponics farm, excluding the cost of land?
The cost factor depends on the size of the farm you choose. For example, a 10,000 sq. ft. farm, is a commercially viable scale in the hydroponic system. For that the cost would come up to about Rs 70 lakhs. This will include your poly house, your fan and pad system, the hydroponic equipment and the basic land work that will be needed for your farm. I am aware that the cost is coming down. But, currently it would be around Rs. 70 lakhs for a 10,000 sq. ft. farm, which is equivalent to quarter acre.
Will you provide technical know-how for setting up a hydroponics unit or hydroponic training?
Unfortunately, we are not currently doing that. We are also relatively new to this business and we have been getting into this in a big way only until recently. I would rather start giving technical support etc. once I am thorough with it all. I can definitely suggest members who may be ready to help set up hydroponic units. We offer support with consultancy work in terms of what sort of greens people can grow in the farm, etc. since we are also growing the produce ourselves. We don’t do hydroponic training either because we are also relatively new in this field. We would need more experience to be on a platform where we can give training. We only started this last year and every month, so far, has been offering something new to learn. Just last month I found out how certain plants require different PH levels that would be ideal. We have been learning on the go and experimenting with different seeds and varieties. We will be better equipped to offer training a little later; not now.
What vegetables do you grow in your farm currently?
The system we have incorporated is called Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) system, which caters towards leafy produces. We grow about 16 varieties of greens - all leafy vegetables. If you want to grow vegetables like cucumber, tomatoes, capsicum etc. the system to be employed would be different – not NFT. For those vegetables one would need deeper buckets. The NFT tables are very thin and hence, wouldn't have sufficient space for other vegetables. It is ideal for the leafy produce. We grow varieties of lettuce, kale, Thai basil, different types of Indian greens like palak, mustard greens, etc. We will be experimenting with another one of two varieties of greens in the coming months as well. So, 16 varieties currently with a few more down the line.
How do you manage the marketing aspect of your produce?
We do everything in house and target our consumers directly. We have our own website set up. We do same-day delivery for consumers who buy from us. We also have a section that targets wholesale customers. At the end of the day, we operate on a commercial scale. Our yield is a lot higher than that of a small farm. So, we need different avenues of sale. We do some wholesale; we have some hotels and restaurants that we cater to and we do end-consumer sale as well. At the moment marketing is done in house and we aim at growing it further. Our yield on a monthly basis is between 2000 to 4000 tons. So, we distribute it in different avenues.
What nutrients do you feed your greens with? Does the produce taste natural?
The taste is absolutely natural. We provide the plants with the same micro and macro nutrients that are found in the soil. We put it into a solution and feed it into the water provided to the plants. The same things like nitrogen, iron, manganese, etc. are fed in salt form to the water. Basically, the same thing that a plant would get from the soil is provided externally because the farm doesn't employ soil. The reason I state that this is technically a better method compared to the traditional farming, in terms of taste as well, is because today a lot of these nutrients are not available on a large scale, in soil, these days. Over the years, the soil has gotten depleted and the plants struggle to find nutrients in the soil. In hydroponics, since it is fed externally, there is no struggle for nutrients.
Is it the same for crops like tomatoes, etc.?
Yes, it is the same. We are not doing tomatoes, etc. because we haven't employed the system relevant for those crops. The NFT system is apt only for the greens. When it comes to nutrient solutions, it is the same. You need to make variations in proportion depending on the plant you grow.
Is your produce considered organic?
We haven't tried to brand our product as organic. There is a lot of confusion about how one defines organic produce. Some feel only soil-grown products can be considered organic while some differ on that point. Then there are arguments like no matter how you produce, if you don't use pesticides, it is considered organic etc. We don't use chemicals or pesticides. That way, we produce chemical-free products. We would like to position ourselves as hydroponic produce that is cleaner than the traditional produce. I feel we are better than organic in a lot many ways. In short, to answer your question. With a huge deal of confusion around organics, we haven't tried to position our produce as organic.
Have you experimented with seaweed extracts?
We have done a little bit of testing with seaweed extracts. We have a small testing station set up in our farm and we have tried seaweed extract. The growth is good but the taste is no different with or without the seaweed extract, to be honest. Again, taste is a more personal opinion. But yes, using seaweed extract is gaining traction in the European markets. Then, there is scope for it here too, perhaps.
When you compare the investment cost with controlled farming is it only a marginal difference in investment cost - with the electricity and equipment cost involved in hydroponics?
Investment wise, hydroponic is higher in all aspects. Having said that, the benefits are:
Water saver- we use 90% less water for the same amount of produce that is produced traditionally.
Faster turnaround time- crops like palak or lettuce would normally take 60-90 days growth time in soil. Here, it takes about 30-45 days.
These are the big benefits. Today, more produce tends to get lost in terms of demand vs supply. With hydroponics we can cut the lap time a lot. We can provide to the market what it actually needs instead of producing without planning or growing crops with a market price in mind but the prices sinking by the time your crop is ready. So, turnaround time is a big benefit. If you only consider investment cost in terms of operational and initial set up cost; yes, hydroponics is more expensive. But in the long-term it will come down. Again, for electricity, you can look at options like adopting solar power, for instance. That is of course, an additional capital expenditure. There are different variables for the cost factor. But yes, hydroponic farming is definitely more expensive than traditional farming.
What are the challenges one has to be cautious about in terms of hydroponic farming?
There are many challenges. Humidity and maintenance of temperature of your farm is a huge ask in hydroponic farming. That is why the fan and pad system is in place. It helps maintain the humidity and provides the necessary air flow. Maintaining the temperature of your farm, especially in a place like Chennai, can be tricky. Chennai, is in no way friendly in terms of temperature for plant growth. We have a chiller tank in place to run cold water through the roots of the plant.
Another factor is maintaining impeccable cleanliness. In hydroponics, you need to make sure that cleanliness is catered to inside the poly house. We insist on people putting shoe cover, gloves, head covers etc. before entering our farm. We have potassium per manganate solutions for our helpers to dip their feet in before they enter the farm.
Cleanliness is key! Even one batch of spoilt produce can prove to be a big hit on your potential revenue.
In hydroponics I also feel there is a lot of area saved because you grow in layers. That way one can grow in 1 acre what is grown in 40 acres of a traditional farm. Absolutely! Vertical farming enhances the yield to a much larger extent than what one would produce as traditional farmers. It is a huge plus. It is because of the vertical system and the fact that the plants get exactly what they need, that the quality and quantity aspect of farming is addressed. The growth rate of plants is also a lot better than what one gets in traditional farms.
Do you know of any government support for setting up hydroponic farms?
When we set up our farm, there wasn't much of government support per say. We didn't get subsidies on our poly house or equipment etc. Having said that, I hear that there is some change in that space too. I think NHB has been giving away subsidies on the equipment lately. I also think it differs from state to state, and not across India. I am not fully certain on this. So, please do research on this.
Akil Murthi
Director – HMA Land Pvt. Ltd.
Telephone: 04428553550
Email: akilmurthi@hmagroup.biz
Website: https://www.hmagreens.com/