Indoor farming techniques like hydroponics are the future of sustainable agriculture: Vivek Raj
The agricultural sector is facing unprecedented challenges, driven by factors such as climate change and population growth. The need for sustainable, efficient alternatives has never been greater and innovators like Vivek Raj are helping reshape how we grow food in place of traditional farming methods.
Raj is using hydroponics and aeroponics techniques to grow high-value crops like medicinal plants, herbs, spices and saffron in indoor environments in India and the United States. Hydroponics is a technique for cultivating plants using a nutrient-enriched water solution while aeroponics involves growing plants without soil by keeping their roots suspended in the air and misting them with a nutrient-rich solution.
His journey into hydroponics began in 2014 when he recognised the potential of growing crops indoors without soil. He realised that controlled-environment agriculture could mitigate challenges like unpredictable weather, pests and diseases, while ensuring optimal conditions for plant growth. By carefully adjusting variables like temperature and nutrient delivery, Raj has successfully cultivated saffron — typically grown in regions like Kashmir and Iran — within controlled environments in the US.
With the spice’s high demand and limited supply, Raj saw controlled-environment agriculture as an opportunity to improve yield and quality. By using an AI-powered nutrient delivery system, his team at Panama Corporation Ltd optimised saffron cultivation, highlighting the potential for indoor farming of high-value crops.
Trial runs with saffron, spices and medicinal plants have demonstrated promising results, including a 300 percent profit margin. Raj claims that his approach, which reduces water use and eliminates pesticides, consistently delivers high-quality crops compared to traditional farming. By 2026, his team plans to establish one of the largest saffron and spice farms, potentially reshaping how these crops are grown.
In 2021, Raj filed a patent for a smart LED system that uses AI and machine learning to adjust environmental conditions like light and humidity in real time, aiming to scale indoor farming efficiently. He emphasised the importance of sustainable practices, focusing on producing crops without harmful chemicals, pesticides or genetically modified organisms.
M Raghuram talks to Raj about his farming techniques and the future of agriculture. Excerpts:
MR: What conditions did you simulate to undertake saffron hydroponic cultivation?
VR: To successfully cultivate saffron hydroponically, we had to replicate the conditions found in its native environment, such as in Kashmir. Temperature was a crucial factor, as saffron thrives in cooler climates with distinct day-night temperature variations. We created an environment where daytime temperatures range from 15 degrees Celsius to 18°C and drop to around 4°C to 5°C at night, closely mirroring Kashmir’s conditions.
Humidity control was also essential and we maintained relative humidity between 40 and 50 per cent to ensure optimal moisture levels. We used full-spectrum LED lights to simulate the specific sunlight saffron needs, particularly the autumnal light conditions. Additionally, we employed artificial intelligence (AI)-driven systems for precise nutrient delivery, ensuring each plant received the right mix of nutrients without wastage. This tailored, chemical-free approach results in an organic product uncontaminated by dust or industrial pollutants.
MR: Has your produce reached the market and how has it been received?
VR: Our initial batches of saffron, produced during our test phase, were distributed to a select group of clients and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. These small-scale trials allowed us to refine our growing processes and ensure the quality of our saffron meets, if not exceeds, traditional standards. We are now scaling up operations, with plans to develop and expand our saffron production over the next two years to meet global demand. Full commercial operations are slated to begin by late 2025, targeting both local and international markets.
MR: Is there a quality difference between the saffron grown in Pampore (India’s saffron capital located in Jammu and Kashmir) and your hydroponic saffron?
VR: There is no difference in quality between saffron grown in Pampore and the saffron we produce hydroponically. In fact, our saffron is cultivated in a controlled, sterile environment, free from pollutants like dust and silt, which are common in open-field farming.
Our hydroponic system ensures that saffron is grown without pesticides or harmful chemicals, resulting in a cleaner, purer product. The precise nutrient delivery further guarantees that our saffron matches the highest standards of traditional saffron.
MR: Are the volumes generated through hydroponic cultivation sufficient for local and export markets?
We are in the process of developing the necessary infrastructure to meet large-scale demand. The saffron corms we cultivate over the next two years will serve as the foundation for large-scale production.
This development phase is crucial for ensuring our indoor farm produces enough saffron for both local and export markets. We are growing our own saffron corms within our facility to build the required volume for large-scale production by 2026.
MR: Where are you growing hydroponic saffron in the US and do you intend to expand to India?
VR: Our large-scale hydroponic saffron project is based in Indiana, US, chosen for its supportive agricultural infrastructure and ideal conditions for indoor farming. This project aims to become the world’s largest saffron farm, using advanced hydroponic and AI-based nutrient delivery systems.
Alongside the US project, we are launching a similar initiative in Karnataka, India. Both locations are close to my heart and India presents tremendous potential for agricultural innovation. While the scale of operations may differ due to market dynamics, our Karnataka project will serve the regional market with high-quality saffron. By focusing on these two regions, I am confident we can foster impactful and sustainable growth in both areas.