A Kumamoto company is bringing about sustainability agricultural reform in Osaka!
Highcom
Environmentally friendly urban smart farm Hicom Smart Farm Izumisano Factory completion ceremony held
Hicom Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Chuo-ku, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture, Representative Director: Daido Kai/hereinafter referred to as Hicom), a member of the Hicom Group, which operates telecommunications, real estate, and elderly welfare businesses in Kumamoto Prefecture, is a new business called Smart. We launched a farm business and completed the fully artificial light plant factory “HICOM Smart Farm Izumisano Factory” in Izumisano City, Osaka Prefecture, and held a completion ceremony on April 23, 2024. Izumisano Factory has introduced the plant factory system of Alesca Life Technologies (hereinafter referred to as Alesca Life), which enables stable cultivation of leafy vegetables 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and also enables shipment to retailers immediately after harvesting. This is a next-generation sustainable agricultural factory that reduces the hassle and cost of transporting vegetables.
From Kumamoto to Osaka.Background of the start of smart farm business
Amid concerns about the aging of the agricultural population, and the 2024 problem in which upper limits on working hours will be imposed as part of work style reform for drivers, there are concerns that vegetable prices will soar due to soaring transportation costs. Through business negotiations with Alesca Life, we realized that the urban smart farm business has the potential to address future agricultural issues, and decided to develop this business as a new business.
We conducted a nationwide search for potential locations for our factory, believing that by expanding into urban areas where the agricultural population is decreasing and farmland shrinking significantly, we will be able to provide a stable supply of safe and secure vegetables.
Considering that Izumisano City, Osaka Prefecture is located in the center of the Kinki region and could become a hub for shipping vegetables to the Kinki region in the future, we decided to launch a smart farm business in Izumisano City.
A company from Kumamoto is taking on the big challenge of entering the agricultural field in a faraway place called Izumisano City, Osaka Prefecture.
About Hicom Smart Farm
Currently, we are mainly cultivating leafy vegetables and plan to sell them at supermarkets and home centers.
Our plant factory is a facility where the environment is completely controlled using the latest agricultural technology system, combining hydroponic cultivation and artificial light sources, making it possible to provide a stable supply of vegetables without being affected by abnormal weather or climate change. It has become.
Additionally, since it is possible to farm near urban areas, shipping costs to nearby stores can be reduced.
Izumisano factory location
Izumisano Factory began operation as Hicom Smart Farm’s first factory.
Located 12 minutes by car from Kansai International Airport and 4 minutes by car from Izumisano IC, the farm plans to cultivate leafy vegetables such as lettuce and edible flowers. (Details in Attachment 1)
≪Location≫
■Address: 3-6-38 Takamatsu Minami, Izumisano City, Osaka Prefecture
Completion commemorative ceremony
Approximately 30 people, including business partners and other related parties, attended the completion ceremony, and on the day we received a greeting from Mr. Tsuyoshi Oda, founder of Alesca life.
After the factory tour, we held a tasting session of freshly harvested lettuce produced at the Izumisano Factory.
Future prospects
Hicom Smart Farm Izumisano Factory has prepared a path for factory tours, and we plan to start offering factory tours to local children from time to time as part of our food education activities. Through Hicom Smart Farm, we will work to help people learn about how vegetables are grown and the importance of valuing limited resources.
In addition, Hicom Smart Farm is considering expanding not only to urban areas but also to areas with harsh seasonal agricultural environments, and we believe that our mission is to further spread next-generation sustainable agriculture.
Hicom Smart Farm is an environmentally friendly urban smart farm that aims to bring about reforms in the current agricultural sector, which faces many social issues such as a decrease in the number of farmers and a lack of vegetable production due to abnormal weather. We are aiming for agriculture.
About Hicom Co., Ltd.
【Company Profile】
Company name: Hicom Co., Ltd.
Head office location: Cross Square Kumamoto Kuhonji 4F, 1-14-35 Shinyashiki, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture
Representative Director: Daido Kai
Business content: Telecommunications business, real estate business, smart farm business
Established: February 1990
HP: https://farm.8156.jp/(Hicom Smart Farm HP)
https://8156.jp (Highcom Group HP)
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