Optimism reigns for many growers in controlled-environment agriculture, a new survey says.
Autogrow and Agritecture Consulting have released the 2nd Annual Global CEA (Controlled Environment Agriculture) Census Report, and the report says data captured over an eight-week period shows 95% of growers have an optimistic outlook for the next 12 months, according to a news release.
“The optimism reflects what we have seen across many areas of the industry including increased technology adoption and increased consumer expenditure on fresh produce,” Autogrow CEO Darryn Keiller said in the release, noting substantial new entrants into the market. “What has not changed is the high percentage of new growers, almost 50%, that have no experience in agriculture before starting their business. That lack of experience has an impact on new technology solutions created and the need for more education to be available to support them. It also shows a real desire to make a difference considering their willingness to start during a pandemic.”
According to the release, respondents from 58 countries shared their views on their farming practices, financials, and the impact of COVID-19. The report also gave insight on CEA growth in India, the United Kingdom, the Middle East and North Africa.
“In the United Kingdom, Brexit is driving investment towards CEA to combat supply chain risks, while in India rising population and increased premium consumer demand for clean food are driving CEA,” Agritecture Consulting Founder Henry Gordon-Smith said in the release. “In the Middle East and North Africa, he said government responses to COVID-19 have accelerated policies and incentives for developing scalable CEA solutions.”
Other results from the survey were:
- 68% of respondents are salad green growers;
- 88% of growers surveyed are below age 50; and
- 29% of respondents receive funding from multiple sources.
More information on the survey is available at https://engage.autogrow.com/census.
